Events, openings and cool winter experiences on tap in Nevada
CARSON CITY, Nevada — Winter in the Silver State is snowballing into an abundance of events, activities and more. The Carson City Mint celebrates its 150th anniversary, Area 15 immersive entertainment space debuts in Las Vegas, and Lee Canyon ski resort opens a new lodge. From skiing to road tripping, Nevada delivers experiences to spark the fires of exploration and discovery.
Festivals and celebrations
The Carson City Mint, which pressed Nevada silver and gold into coin from 1870 to 1893, celebrates its 150th anniversary with a Feb. 4 event. United States Mint Director David Ryder will give the keynote address, and the first strikes will be made of new sesquicentennial silver medallion honoring the rarest minting duo on the planet, the CC Mint and Coin Press No. 1.
Other Nevada winter events:
- The Tahoe Film Fest, Dec. 5-9 in Incline Village, will screen a series of environmental and foreign films across multiple venues. Among them, North Lake Tahoe is featured in “Out of Bounds,” a film focused on backcountry skiing and conservation.
- Eagles and Ag, Jan. 23-26, celebrates the ranching culture in the Carson Valley with bird-watching activities, specialty tours, photo workshops and more. Eagles and other raptors descend into the region at this time to feast on the high-protein nutrients provided by the afterbirth during calving season.
- The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Jan. 27 to Feb. 1 in Elko, showcases real-life cowboys as they reminisce about the rural West through poetry, stories and music. This year’s event focuses on Black Cowboy culture, from the Mississippi Delta bayou to the streets of Oakland and Los Angeles.
What’s NEW this winter
- Reno: The Jesse boutique hotel, a six-room jewel in a historical building on Reno’s Fourth Street, opened in spring 2019. The Jesse is one of the newer properties to open on the city’s Fourth Street, currently undergoing a revitalization.
- Las Vegas: Area 15, a 200,000-square-foot entertainment and retail destination, will open early 2020, anchored by Meow Wolf Las Vegas, offering immersive and interactive experiences, Other confirmed businesses include Dueling Axes axe-throwing lounge and Emporium bar and arcade, featuring classic arcade games.
Hit the slopes
Lake Tahoe in northwestern Nevada has the highest concentration of ski resorts in the nation, and there’s no better place for first-timers to hit the slopes. Take advantage of Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month in January, where various resorts offer specials for beginners. In southern Nevada, nestled among the firs and bristlecone pines of Mount Charleston, Lee Canyon ski resort will debut a 10,000-square foot lodge with a ski-in, ski-out bar and a new bistro. In Reno, local favorite Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe invested $1.2 million in on-mountain improvements this year, including enhanced snowmaking and capital improvements. In northeastern Nevada, the Ruby Mountain Heli Experience in Lamoille transports advanced skiers high above the “Alps of Nevada” for a true off-piste experience.
Hit the road
Take advantage of southern Nevada’s temperate climate to take a winter road trip, exploring ghost towns, “free range art,” saloons and more. Travel Nevada’s Free Range Art Highway itinerary takes you from Reno to Las Vegas, with stops at the International Car Forest and Seven Magic Mountains along the way. Once in Las Vegas, check out the Neon to Nature itinerary for ideas on things to do outside of the Strip, including a visit to the historical Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings or a kayak trip on the Colorado River. Both itineraries are part of Travel Nevada’s 10 branded road trips.
About Travel Nevada: The Nevada Division of Tourism (TravelNevada) is part of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. It promotes and markets Nevada as a tourism destination for domestic and international leisure and business travelers through its marketing and advertising programs and by coordinating partnerships between public and private entities. TravelNevada also administers grant programs for local entities to market travel and tourism offerings and publishes Nevada Magazine.