Carson Valley Days are here

Temperatures are rising and the days are getting longer, and the Valley is kicking off the summer festival season this weekend with the 107th annual Carson Valley Days.

Put on by the Carson Valley Active 20-30 Club #85, the festival kicks off Thursday with a carnival at Lampe Park. A slew of events are scheduled for the following three days, including a horseshoe tournament, craft fair and children’s games — all at Lampe Park — as well as the festival’s biggest event, a parade that runs down Highway 395 from Minden to Gardnerville. The parade starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at Minden Park, runs along Esmeralda to Highway 395, and wraps up at Lampe Park.

“The community just gets behind the parade,” said festival chairman Tim Provost. “I really look forward to it. Watching the kids on their respective floats is fun. They’re excited to be recognized.”

The theme of this year’s festival is “A Salute to First Responders.”

“We’re recognizing first responders, which is a very important thing for us to do,” Provost said. “It’s important to recognize people who help our community, and that’s what Carson Valley Days is about — recognizing the community.”

Following the parade the “Citizen of the Year” will be announced at Lampe Park. Last year’s winner, Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Teresa Duffy, will serve as this year’s parade grand marshal.

Provost said event attendees can expect a festival similar to those held in the past, with a couple small tweaks.

“We’re looking at changing the layout of the park a little bit to help it flow a little better,” he said.

In addition, this year’s festival will feature a cornhole tournament, Provost said. The cost to enter either the horseshoe or cornhole tournament is $20 per team — there is a maximum of 32 teams allowed for the horseshoe tournament and a maximum of 16 teams for the cornhole tournament.

The Carson Valley Active 20-30 Club has participated in Carson Valley Days since the 1930s and has hosted the event for the past 60 years. The festival costs the club about $40,000 to put on, according to the 20-30 Club’s website. Proceeds from the event benefit local charities and programs, including Austin’s House, Project Santa Claus, Douglas County Center for Hope and Healing and Backpack Buddies.

Music lineup

Friday:

5-6:30 p.m., Nighthawks

7-9 p.m., White Hats

9:30-11:30 p.m., Tripping King Snakes

Saturday:

12:30-3:30 p.m., Mixed Company

4-6 p.m., Scarlet Stain

6:30-8:30 p.m., RadioActive

9-11:30 p.m., Escalade

Sunday:

12-1:30 p.m., Miki

2-4 p.m., Double Cross

Festival events

Thursday:

5 p.m.-11 p.m., carnival opens. Buddy day — two for one with wristbands

Friday:

3 p.m.-11 p.m., carnival

5 p.m.-11:30 p.m., live music

Saturday:

7 a.m., Carson Valley Days Parade registration; Carson Valley Days Walk, Jog, Run registration

8 a.m., 10th annual Carson Valley Days Walk, Jog, Run

9 a.m. Carson Valley Days Parade

11 a.m.-close, carnival; craft show and food vendors

Noon-8 p.m., kid’s grease pole

Noon, announcement of parade winners and Citizen of the Year

1 p.m.-6 p.m., kid’s activities

12:30-11:30 p.m., live music

1:30 p.m., horseshoe tournament

2 p.m.-8 p.m., three-on-three basketball tournament

3:30 p.m., cornhole tournament

Sunday:

8 a.m.-2 p.m., grass volleyball tournament

10 a.m.-4 p.m., craft show and food vendors

11 a.m.-5 p.m., carnival; kid’s grease pole

noon-4 p.m., live music

5 p.m., Carson Valley Days raffle