Carson Valley Days kicks off today

The Carson Valley Days carnival was set up at Lampe Park in Gardnerville and ready to host special needs children on Wednesday.

The carnival and Carson Valley Days officially open to the general public 5 p.m. today with buddy night. 

The four-day celebration has been in the planning stages for the past five months in order to bring back the full experience after the event was reduced to a parade by the coronavirus outbreak.

“Last week, the Carson Valley Active 20-30 Club No. 85 held its final preparatory meeting in advance of the annual Carson Valley Days,” Parade Chairman Tommy Lovell said. “Every week since January our club has worked on every aspect imaginable to be able to bring a full Carson Valley Days to our community.”

Tickets for Buddy Night may only be purchased at the carnival itself. 

Friday, the carnival will open at 3 p.m. At 5 p.m., the “Spaceballs” dodgeball fundraising tournament will start. 

“All proceeds for the tournament will go to the Lynch family for a medical life-saving procedure,” Lovell said. “The event consists of a single elimination tournament with 16 mixed teams of six players at $150 per team. Competitors are encouraged to wear costumes with the theme of this year’s Carson Valley Days.”

The event will also feature a public safety match between the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and East Fork Fire.

Saturday is the biggest day in the Carson Valley, Lovell said.

At 8 a.m. roads will close in anticipation of the annual Carson Valley Days parade. 

“Carson Valley Active 20-30 looks forward to continuing on the tradition that the pandemic couldn’t stop when it starts at 9 a.m. in Minden,” Lovell said. The 2020 Citizen of the Year, Miki Trujillo, will serve as this year’s Grand Marshall. 

After the parade has passed through Minden and Gardnerville Carson Valley Days’ will shift to Lampe Park, where the Carson Valley Active 20-30 Club No. 85 will name winners of the Carson Valley Days parade and also bestow the honor of this year’s Citizen of the Year. 

“Every year the club names a member of our community who has gone above and beyond to help the children of the Carson Valley,” he said. “After that the club will be hosting an event at Lampe Park featuring live music, kid’s activities, horseshoe and cornhole tournaments, craft and food vendors, a full day of carnival fun, and a raffle of prizes donated by local businesses.”

On Sunday, the carnival will continue and the raffle prize winners will be awarded.

Carnival   5–11 p.m.

Friday    

Carnival  3–11 p.m.

SpaceBalls Dodgeball Tournament        5 –9 p.m.

Live Music by Trilogy            5:30 - 7:30 p.m.     

Live music by Jakota Wass            8 - 11 p.m. 

Saturday 

Parade Registration                7 a.m.

Carson Valley Days Walk, Jog, Run Registration    7 a.m.

Carson Valley Days Walk, Jog, Run        8 a.m.

Carson Valley Days Parade            9 a.m.

Carnival                    11 a.m. – Close

Craft Show & Food Vendors                11 a.m. – Close

Parade Winners & Citizen of the Year            Noon

Live music by Miki Rae                12:30 – 3:30 p.m. 

Children’s Events                     1- 5 p.m.

Horseshoe Tourna.m.ent    $20/tea.m. 32 tea.m. max    1 p.m.

Cornhole Tourna.m.ent    $40/tea.m.        3 p.m.

Live music by The Whitehats                4– 7:30 p.m.

Live music by The Escalades                8 – 11:30 p.m.

Sunday

Craft Show & Food Vendors                10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Carnival                        11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Children’s Events                    Noon 

Carson Valley Days Duck Derby            1 p.m.    

Carson Valley Days Raffle                3 p.m.