What's Happening in Northern Nevada: Mid-September Events

This is the second of a weekly roundup of what's happening in Northern Nevada, built to show you what life looks like after the move from California. Every event below was verified on this run, with its name, date, and location. The week of September 14 through 20 is a golden one: the summer crowds are gone, the Sierra foothills are starting to turn, and the big September weekend happens to land right in the middle of it.

Reno & Sparks: Lanterns, Music, and Antiques

The can't-miss of the week is the Water Lantern Festival at Sparks Marina on Saturday, September 19. You decorate a lantern, light it, and set it drifting across the water at dusk while food vendors and live music keep the marina lively. It is a genuinely beautiful way to spend a late-summer evening, and a good one to bring visiting family to.

Downtown Reno is busy that same weekend. Desert Moon, a music festival at City Plaza, runs Friday and Saturday, September 18 and 19. On Sunday, the Reno Antique Faire fills the street in front of the National Automobile Museum, and Fiesta on Wells brings food, music, and vendors to the Wells Avenue district. If you like old treasures and street festivals, park once and wander.

Don't lose track of the weekday rhythm: the Local Harvest market at the Outlets at Legends in Sparks runs Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the Riverside Farmers Market in Reno runs Sundays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Idlewild Park.

Carson City: Murals, Music, and a Ghost Walk

The 4th Annual Murals & Music Festival runs Monday, September 14 through Saturday, September 19 at the Brewery Arts Center and across the city. Artists from around the world paint live murals on buildings all week, with music performances layered in. It's the kind of event that changes how you see a downtown, and you can watch it happen in real time.

The Carson City Ghost Walk offers flashlight tours on the evenings of September 12, 19, and 26, from 7 to 9 p.m., departing from Bob McFadden Plaza at the Third Street Stage. Expect local history with a bit of a chill down the spine, told by people who clearly love this town. And don't forget the Carson Farmers Market, Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Marv Teixeira Pavilion in Mills Park, running through September 26.

The Carson Valley: Markets and a Gallery Feature

Down in Gardnerville and Minden, the weekly markets carry the season. The Gardnerville Farmers Market runs Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Heritage Park, and the Esmeralda Farmers Market runs Tuesday evenings, 4 to 8 p.m., at 1604 Esmeralda Avenue in Minden, both through September. The Tuesday night market with live music is a small-town habit that's easy to fall into.

If you're an art lover, the Copeland Gallery at 1572 US Highway 395 in Minden is featuring artist Anne Mitchell from August 24 through October 16. It's a quiet, lovely stop that makes a nice pairing with lunch in the valley's charming Main Street district.

Lake Tahoe: Oktoberfest and Farm-to-Fork

Saturday, September 19 is a big one up the mountain. Sample the Sierra, the Tahoe Chamber's signature farm-to-fork food and wine festival, returns to Bijou Community Park in South Lake Tahoe from 1 to 4 p.m., with local chefs, wineries, breweries, an artisan makers market, and live music. The same day, Tahoe City Oktoberfest runs noon to 5 p.m. at the Gatekeeper's Museum at William B. Layton State Park, a family-friendly lakeside Bavarian festival with craft beer and food trucks.

For a weekly ritual, the South Lake Tahoe Certified Farmers Market runs Tuesdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the American Legion at 2732 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, through October 13.

Welcoming You Like a Neighbor

This is what a September weekend in Northern Nevada looks like: lanterns on the water in Sparks, murals going up on Carson City walls, a rodeo-season farmers market in the valley, and Oktoberfest by the lake. If you're thinking about making this home, I'd love to help you figure out where you fit. Take a look at the community guide, browse homes for sale by area, or just reach out and we can talk through it over the phone.