Last-minute donations save Nevada Day fireworks

The traditional Nevada Day fireworks will be blasting off after all, thanks to some last-minute donations, albeit at a new location.

Janice Ayres of Retired and Senior Volunteer Program said the fireworks will be launched between 7 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29 from the Silver Oak Golf Course in northwest Carson City, instead of the usual Carson City High School.

Silver Oak will also offer a buffet-style Basque feed immediately following the parade, with lamb, chorizo, picon punch and other traditional Basque offerings.

"Carlos and Jesus of Gardnerville fame will be making the food," said Pete Caron, general manager of Silver Oak. "We'll also offer live music, which will be choreographed with the fireworks."

The golf course, which will be closed so people can view the fireworks from the lawn, will offer advance ticket sales for the Basque feed, as well as VIP seating on the deck for the fireworks, said Caron. He added that parking would be available on Garth Richards Boulevard and College Parkway.

For awhile it was uncertain whether a fireworks display would take place, according to Ayres, who said she was having difficulty obtaining funding.

"We were just up against it trying to raise money for fireworks," Ayres said. "Everyone's raising money for the victims of those terrible hurricanes and I'm all for that, but it makes it hard to raise the money."

The Silver Oak Golf Course, Carson-Tahoe Hospital and the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau stepped in, with the golf course and hospital each offering $5,750 and the visitors bureau providing $500.

"We heard that Janice wasn't getting any funding," Caron said. "She had already decided we were going to do the Basque feed after the parade and we think it's good for the community and good for people to know we're out here."

In addition to the fireworks, RSVP will again put on the annual Nevada Day Fair and Carnival at Mills Park, complete with carnival vendors, food and drink booths, a Midway of Fun, rides and arts and crafts.

All kinds of food - Mexican, hot dogs, chicken wings and more - will be consumed at the event, which is a fund-raiser for the Home Companion and Life Line programs at RSVP.

The four-day carnival will kick off Oct. 27 at 4 p.m. and continue through Oct. 30.

Parking spaces have been added to the north side of Mills Park on East William Street to accommodate visitors.

The Home Companion and Life Line programs are designed to keep elderly at home rather than prematurely institutionalizing them.

Admission to the fair is free, and all-day ride passes will be available at ticket booths for $12 for Oct. 27, 4 p.m. to midnight and $18 all day Oct. 28-30.

If riding all day is too much, carnival-goers can still purchase tickets for each ride for $1.25 per ticket.

The number of tickets varies depending on the ride, and there are height restrictions for some rides.

- Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.