Candy makers uphold 105-year Genoa tradition

The Famous Genoa Candy Dance Fudge recipe is among those contained in former Town Historian Billie Jean Rightmire’s “Cooking with Genoa Pioneers.

The cookbook was written in 2010 for the 90th Candy Dance by Rightmire, who was remembered Saturday during a celebration of life at the Genoa Town Hall.

Rightmire was born almost five years before the death of Genoa’s “Fairy Godmother” Lillian Virgin Finnegan, who with aunt Jane Raycraft Campbell, is credited with cooking up Candy Dance as a way of paying for streetlights in 1919.

“Aunt Jane and Lillian Virgin Finnegan … spent hours in the Pink House kitchen, making their favorite candies to be passed among the dancers during the evening festivities of the Candy Dance,” Rightmire wrote on the topic of “Candy Dance Recipes.”

Just as generations of people before them, candy makers were hard at work this week making fudge, which is the last of the almost 3,000 pounds of candy that will be for sale at the annual event Sept. 28-29.

Coordinator Sherry Erickson, who has been overseeing candy making for the last few years, said volunteers have been turning out to work in the Town Hall kitchen.

“We do have many volunteers who come to help make the candy,” she said. “Some days we have as many as 14-15 people, other days we have only four or five.”

Besides the fudge, candy makers produce toffee, divinity, peanut butter cups, peanut brittle, chocolate dipped pretzels.

“A new candy added this year is raisin clusters for everyone looking for something without peanuts,” Erickson said. “This year we brought back a customer favorite — cookies and cream bark.”

Introduced last year, peppermint patties and peanut crunch bites are also back.

Candy is packaged in 1-pound boxes and will be on sale at the Town Hall during the Candy Dance Craft Faire & Art Show, which is celebrating 50 years.

According to organizers, the fair features 411 arts and crafts, food and beverage and activity booths with a mix of new and returning vendors.

The fair is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 28 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 29. Entry is free, but parking in one of the three lots is $10.

Organizers advised visitors to bring cash for parking, since attendants won’t be able to process cards. Parking lots open at 7 a.m. with shuttles into town.

The town’s Wifi hasn’t improved over the years, so bringing cash isn’t a bad plan. Automated teller machines will be available.

The town is asking people not to bring their dogs unless they are certified service animals.

The dance that gives the event its name is virtually sold out, according to the ticket site at genoanevada.org which only shows a single available seat.

Town Manager Jody Brunz said anyone interested in volunteering for or sponsoring the event should call the town offices at 775-782-8696.

Besides candy, several organizations conduct fundraisers at the fair, including the Mason’s who serve breakfast both days and the Genoa Volunteer Fire Department, which serves Italian sausage sandwiches and beer.