Celebrate Carson Valley Days

There's a chance the entertainment for the annual Carson Valley Days celebration may include a light show courtesy of Mother Nature.

Today's celebration opens with music, art and food in the towns of Minden and Gardnerville.

According to the National Weather Service, the bands could be accompanied by thunder.

Art is up first with the 9 a.m. opening of the Carson Valley Art Association's show at the CVIC Hall in Minden. An artist's reception is scheduled for 6-8 p.m.

Today is the last day to purchase reduced price tickets for the Carson Valley Days carnival, which fires up at 3 p.m. in Lampe Park. Tickets are on sale at Raley's and Nevada State Bank for $17.

A little time on the Ferris wheel and it's time for dinner. The Partnership for Community Resources is hosting its first pasta feed fundraiser 5 to 7 p.m. at Douglas High School. Dinner includes a variety of pastas and sauces, garlic bread, salad and dessert. Cost is $8 for adults, $5 for kids 12 and younger, and free admission for kids 3 and younger.

The focus of the celebration shifts back to Gardnerville at 7 p.m. when the band Break Even performs at Lampe Park.

Down the road and across Highway 395, the Friday Night Celebration starts in the parking lot of Buckaroo's and The French Bar at about 8 p.m.

Both venues are designed to draw party-goers away from Highway 395 in downtown Gardnerville to safer locations.

Douglas County sheriff's deputies will be on patrol throughout the town, enforcing the county's outdoor ban on cans and bottles from 5 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Saturday and the midnight curfew for minors. The carnival closes at 11 p.m.

The Carson Valley Days parade is the centerpiece of the celebration, closing Highway 395 and kicking off two days of fun and games.

Registration for the Carson Valley Days Walk, Run, Jog starts at 6 a.m. Parade registration, the hot air balloon launch and the Gardnerville Volunteer Fire Department's pancake breakfast are all at 7 a.m.

Parade-goers should arrive on the route before 8 a.m., when Highway 395 between Buckeye Road and Waterloo Lane closes. The parade travels from Minden Park, down Esmeralda Avenue and then turns south on Highway 395. It ends in Lampe Park.

According to Meteorologist Mark Faucette, the forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms after 1 p.m. both today and Saturday.

Potentially wet weather will hang around until the middle of next week when warmer temperatures are expected to arrive.