Pecha Kucha
Behind the Casinos: Festivals in Reno
Yu He
Approximately three hours away from San Francisco, the city of Reno is situated in northwestern of Nevada by the Sierra Nevadas and Lake Tahoe. If there’s one thing you know about Reno, it’s a city probably that there are plenty places to toss dice, hit the slots, and awkwardly have eye contact with other people down at the poker table. However, it is difficult to pinpoint one overarching culture shared by all of its citizens. In truth, Reno’s uniqueness lies in its extraordinary blend of a versatile amount of culture as it’s exemplified by the fabulous festivals put together by different interest groups from the community. Whether is the breathtaking Reno Hot Air Balloon Race, the thrilling Reno River Festival, the heartburn Hot August Night, or the art fanatics’ Burning Man, a day amongst the city’s most fabulous festivals will let you know that Reno is the city that has it all.
The Great Reno Balloon Race
Around five o’clock in the morning, groups of people start rolling out of their car and stand up and stretch in the direction over Mt. Rose; sleepy attendees of all ages eagerly walk toward the middle of Rancho San Rafael Park for the annual Great Reno Balloon Race. Attracting an average of 120,000 visitors each year, the Great Reno Balloon Race has grown and become the world’s largest balloon race, an event that that has become the icon of the Reno community. Originally, the Great Reno Balloon Race began in 1982 as a placeholder between the Nevada State Fair and the Reno Championship Air Races (Great Reno Balloon Race). Today, upwards of 100 balloons participate each year in early September, bringing people from all over together who share a love for family, community and ballooning.
Three events – the Super Glow Show, the regular Glow Show, and Dawn Patrol – all occur during this colorful celebration. As pilots light their lanterns for the Glow Show, all the balloons take on an almost fictional appearance when all the balloons shine like stars in the sky. Next, the Super Glow Show takes the torch and goes blast as twenty-five to thirty enormous balloons glow choreographically to music. "Standing out on this field is like a momentary escape from reality," said Bryan Jimenez, a Freshman at UNR who witnessed the 35th Great Air Balloon Race. "The balloon race is one of my favorite events in Reno thus far," said Bryan, "At first, I was bummed that I am going to college in a small area, but this event completely changed my impression of Reno being uninteresting. When I arrived at the park was pitch black; because I had never attended a hot air balloon event before, I had no idea of where to go or what to expect. So I picked a nice spot in a wide open area that I thought would give me an up close view of everything. Well, after a while the pilots began to light the burners to fill the balloons and it happened that the spot I chose was right in the center of the launch area. I was completely surrounded by the huge balloons! It was a beautiful sight, but rather frightening since I had never seen a hot air balloon before and didn’t realize how big they were and to be surrounded by them was amazing. I was breathless as cheers erupted all around the field as one vibrant balloon after another rises into the early morning sky. Although I had to wake up super early for this, but it's worth it when you see all the balloons up close. It's a spectacular sight!” (Jimenez).
Last of the pre-race shows is Dawn Patrol, a trademark of the Great Reno Balloon Race. Dawn Patrol was first patented by the board of trustees when Federal Aviation officials approved predawn flying regulations in 1978 (Great Reno Balloon Race). Safety precautions, such as special navigation lights, became the norm and the Great Reno Balloon Race seized the opportunity and soon became a national role model for pre-dawn events in 1990 when it began launching balloons before sunrise. This show features six experienced pilots specially trained to fly in the dark; pre-dawn atmospheric conditions can be unpredictable, but the balloons twinkling against the dark Nevada sky is a favorite among many attendees (Olivares). As the sunlight begins to spread over the field, the Dawn Patrol pilots land their balloons and prepare for mass ascension. Altogether, around 100 hot air balloons begin inflating as the night sky gives way to early morning light. The splendor of these unique and beautiful balloons thrills the crowd as they enjoy the lively sights and sounds in the early morning light. According to the information provided on the official website of the Great Reno Balloon Race regarding ballooning navigation, the talented pilots at the Great Reno Balloon Race use wind currents and elevation to control the direction they travel. As pilots ascend or descend into a sea of wind currents that exist in the atmosphere, the balloon takes on different directions. While the pilots are flying out for Mass Ascension, two targets will be set up for the Maximum and Minimum Distance Double Drop. Pilots will return to the field while still airborne and attempt to throw a marker at each target. For the Minimum Distance Double Drop, they will want their markers to be as close as possible. For the Maximum Distance Double Drop, they will want their markers to be as far away from each as possible (Great Reno Balloon Race). “The event itself costs $700,000 to do,” said Copeland, the executive CEO of Great Reno Balloon Race. “But then again, we have great partners and sponsors, and they’re the ones that allow us to bring these balloons in.” The Great Reno Balloon Race had some previous difficulties with its funding. Copeland approached County Commissioner Kitty Jung in 2014 and requested to waive the fees for the 2015 race. It was a difficult position to be in for everyone involved—either waive the fees and keep the balloon race, or not have the event at all. However, the county was able waive the fees for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 balloon races. “It’s an iconic Washoe County event. It’s on our website, our opening page is pictures of the balloons,” said County Commissioner Kitty Jung. “It is something that I don’t think the community would have allowed it to go away, frankly. But it also is such an economic driver for Northern Nevada.” (Reamy). Leaving the audience in faces of awe and joy, the Great Reno Balloon Race continue to touch the heart of tens of thousands of spectators with an unforgettable sight of views.
Reno River Festival
As the mid-day mark concludes the end of the Great Reno Balloon Race, it’s time to take a stroll down the scenic Truckee River to get in action with other 32,000 audiences for America’s premier whitewater event — the Reno River Festival. The Truckee River is a body of water that slowly flows mostly northeast through the mountains to Truckee, California, then turns sharply to the east and flows into Nevada, through Reno and Sparks and along the northern end of the Carson Range (“Truckee River” ). Known for enticing the world’s top whitewater athletes every May, the Reno River Festival features professional and amateur competitions, an action-filled adventure park and an expo with the latest, hottest gear for whitewater athletes. This annual event brings the best kayakers in the country to the Truckee River Whitewater Park for the nation’s biggest competition of the year. In fact, the USA Freestyle Kayaking has awarded the Reno River Festival the 2016 U.S. National Whitewater Freestyle Championships (Reno River Festival). In addition, the Reno River Festival gives attendees a chance to enjoy a true outdoor festival setting with the Reno River Roll. This event gives the attendees who doesn’t want to participate in water-based activity an opportunity to enjoy the festival by having a bicycle run; “Tour the streets of Reno on your best ride while trailing a live mobile band and the Coors Light Girls racing team that will lead an experience unlike any bike ride you’ve been on before!” The entire event is a five-mile costumed soothing bicycle ride starts from the new Virginia Street Bridge and finish in the heart of the Reno River Festival (Reno River Festival).
According to one of the festival attendees, Michael Tanner, a local resident from Reno, “Great love bands (rock bands from 1960s and early 1970s), fun vendors and demos, and professional Kayakers competing in the beautiful waters of the Truckee River, all happening in the heart of Downtown! I was particularly intrigued by the paddle boards since it was my first time seeing it in person. Moreover, there is a huge collection of obstacles and challenges like zip-line, rock walk and bungee jumping for kids at Adventure Park within the festival. The Craft Beer Village provides all manners of great food, beer and nonalcoholic drinks to consume as well! All in all, the Reno River Festival was an unforgettable experience and I would totally do it again .” (Tanner). The Reno community’s establishment of the Reno River Festival not only provided recreational outlets, but it also became a major addition to Northern Nevada’s signature events.
Hot August Nights
After you wipe away the water splashes from the Reno River Festival, look no farther than the streets of Reno. Crowds of spectators line the sidewalks for a glimpse into the past when “a driver’s license and a hot car were all anyone needed or wanted on a Saturday night”. The Biggest Little City shifts into high gear for the largest classic car and nostalgic event in the country — Hot August Nights. Thousands of visitors come every August for the powerful automobiles and electrifying music of the 50's, 60's and early 70's. Hot August Nights showcase more than 6,000 vehicles from this golden era of design, with events all over Reno and Sparks (Hot August Nights). During the night on August 1, 1986, the Reno-Sparks Convention Center was bursting with hundreds of revelers who were partying, cheering and pushing to be let into a first-time event of a magnitude yet to be realized. Inside, 10,000 spectators massed together in anticipation of seeing and hearing a live event of the Righteous Brothers, Wolfman Jack, and Jan & Dean (Wines). It was that night when nostalgia was unleashed among an audience who excitedly relived their childhood years of the 50’s and 60’s-a time of innocence, prosperity, cars and the birth of Rock and Roll. Notably, the aim of Hot August Nights was to fill a need in tourism in Reno during the month of August and to raise money for local charities. The first year of Hot August Nights was more of a nostalgia event than a car event, but it was the car parade that was the highlight of the event for the participants and the crowds who thronged Virginia Street (Shannon).
The car owners were proud to show off their cars because they rarely get the chance to reveal their collection to the public. From show-n-shines to nightly cruises, from drag races and burnouts to AutoCross, the restored classic cars give enthusiasts a great experience of popular decades done by. The Hot August Nights Auction presented by Motorsport Auction Group promises to excite bidders with gorgeous classic vehicles. “Nothing makes me prouder than seeing northern Nevada’s streets filled with classic cars and lined with smiling faces during the event and knowing that our volunteers, sponsors and staff helped bring everyone in the car-loving community together,” Executive Director of Hot August Nights Tony Marini ardently states (Wines). Hot August Nights kicks off its entertainment series with the nostalgic sounds of the 50s and 60s from top tribute bands, covering everything from The Beach Boys to The Guess Who, and Ronny & The Classics performing the greatest covers from classic rock to pop. Papa Doo Run Run, a California Grammy-nominated band and two-time gold record holder, gets the crowd dancing to upbeat surf tunes (Shannon). Fan favorite Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone once again gets the crowd “Into Something Good,” while Billboard chart-topper Blood Sweat & Tears appears with their acclaimed fusion of rock and jazz. The closure of the festival is Hotel California “A Salute to the Eagles,” blending their vocal and musical talents to bring iconic hits back to life, and the legendary former lead singer of the original Platters Sonny Turnery crooning the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s hits of yesteryear (Hot August Nights).
While Hot August Nights has become world-renowned over its nearly 30 years of existence, knowledge of its generous registered nonprofit arm—the Hot August Nights Foundation—isn’t always as wide-spread. Each year, the organization secures and distributes tens of thousands of dollars in cash and merchandise to help children in the community that are in need, or considered at-risk. “Many people don’t realize that Hot August Nights Foundation is a separate entity from Hot August Nights—it’s a volunteer-member organization that works year-round to raise money and resources for children in our community,” exudes Hot August Nights Executive Director Mike Whan. “The volunteer group works diligently to ensure that in need or at-risk children in northern Nevada are given the resources they need to succeed in life (Wines)” Hot August Nights is a festival that not only provides a time travel chance for classic car enthusiast and rock-and-roll fans, it also exemplified the multifaceted interest showcased within the Reno community.
Burning Man
Around a quarter past nine at night, as Hot August Nights still welcoming crowds and crowds of visitors, a throng of over thirty thousand revelers enthusiastically shout “Burn it!” in a remote corner of northwestern Reno’s Black Rock Desert. Those who gathered together on this occasion, known collectively as “Burners” and the occasion of is known as “The Burning Man.” Among the numerous qualities of the Burning Man experience that are shared by all festival participants–the heat, the dust, the Burn-there is one aspect that is necessarily universal: the journey. Whether through the rainforest of the Pacific Northwest, by plane from the East Coast or across the pond, or simply down the road from nearby area, the festival’s remote location on the Black Rock Desert requires all attendees to travel to join in the happening.
Since the first Burning Man in 1986, this event has gradually become the central icon of a widespread community (Falco 108). Every August, for a full week, thousands of participants coming from all over the world have camped in a two-mile-wide semicircular civic space arrayed around a temporary town called Black Rock City. The entire festival is situated on the “playa”, which is a cracked surface of a dry and flat prehistoric lakebed that’s completely devoid of any vegetation or animal habitat. Temperatures can range from 40F at night to well over 100F during the day, while fierce dust storms with winds of 75 mph are common occurrences (Margolin 150). At the center of it all stands the Man, an enormous sculpture that will be burn down at the end of the festival. Creatively designed temporary shelters thrive in Black Rock City, as do festive decorations and thoughtful costumes. Moreover, the citizens of the Burning Man all circulate on foot or on bicycles, or in elaborately modified vehicles known as “art cars,” licensed by the DMV, Department of Mutant Vehicles, as artistic exceptions to a policy of prohibiting individuals from driving their own cars. Black Rock City maintains basic civic amenities such as an internal peacekeeping force of specially trained “rangers”; a “Department of Public Works”, who begin building the city’s infrastructure over a month before the festival commences; emergency medical services; a functional post office; an official daily newspaper called The Black Rock Gazettes; dozens of pirate radio stations, and a central café called the Center Camp Café, which is the city’s single largest structure (Falco 94). Last, but certainly not least, the city’s sanitation needs are met by several hundred regularly serviced chemical toilets placed at key junctures amidst its highways and byways.
A particularly significant feature of this city is the fact that there are no advertisements anywhere to be seen, even the signage on rented trucks is often creatively altered or otherwise masked from view. Because vending is forbidden, the inhabitants of the city enact what is idealistically referred to as a “gift economy,” freely sharing what they have brought, just as they share the many other burdens of surviving the harsh and daunting desert. Oftentimes, Burners organize themselves into groups that create “theme camps,” usually presented as whimsical places dedicated to a particular motif or affinity, each functioning as a hub for its own extended community (Margolin 164). Numbering in the hundreds, these camps form themselves into an arcade that semi-publicly and semi satirically displays human exemplification of a variety of subcultural lifestyles, each splendid with appropriate code words, identifying artifacts as fanciful totems.
Over the week-long event, the participants of the Burning Man unite themselves into a tightly knit community of kindred spirits and shared priorities even though no one actually can state with confident certainty what those priorities might beyond the prohibition of vending and corporate advertising, and that no trace of their inhabitation of this space should be left behind. Another dictum that remains a popular ideal is the injunction to participate in some way, with the corollary that there should be no spectator (Luckman 15). Simply put, everyone in attendance is accountable for making some kind of positive contribution to the collective experience. As one longtime participant wrote, “Burning Man employs ritual, but it is ritual removed from the context of theology. Unhindered by dogma, ritual becomes a vessel that can be filled with direct experience. Burning Man is about having that experience, not about explaining it. ” (Luckman 19). The stated refusals of doctrine notwithstanding, Burning Man nevertheless encourages attendees to tap into a vast, multicultural pot of symbolic means with which to playfully explore and locate their experiences.
At the end of the day, the four festivals depicted above are only the tip of Reno’s festival iceberg. There’s no doubt that Reno is a great location for casinos and ski resorts; however, they are not the only thing that’s shared by this beloved community. After all, the festivals in Reno propel the whole community toward a common interest, a surrounding full of good hopes, happiness and joy.
Works Cited
Burning Man. The Burning Man Project, 2016, http://burningman.org/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2016.
Falco, Edward. Burning Man: Stories. Southern Methodist University Press, 2011.
Great Reno Balloon Race. Great Reno Balloon Race, 2016, http://renoballoon.com/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2016.
Hot August Nights. Hot August Nights, 2016, http://hotaugustnights.net/. Accessed 18 Nov. 2016.
Jimenez, Bryan. Person interview. 20 Nov. 2016.
Luckman, Susan. “Festive Emplacements: Burning Man and Goa Trance.” Cultural Studies Review, vol. 17, no. 1, 01 Mar. 2011, pp. 14 - 19, Social Science Database, doi: 10.5130/csr.v17i1.1982. Accessed 18 Nov. 2016.
Margolin, Phillip M. Burning Man. Time Warner Paperbacks, 2003.
Olivares, Jose. “Preview: The 2016 Great Reno Balloon Race.” Reno Gazette-Journal, 17 Jul. 2016, http://www.rgj.com/story/news/2016/07/14/do-not-publish-balloon-races-reveal/87103000/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2016.
Reamy, Lois Madison. “Reno and Lake Tahoe.” The Nature, vol. 43, no. 11, p.143, EBSCO, http://unr.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=9502082603&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Accessed 22 Nov. 2016
Reno River Festival. Reno River Festival, 2016, http://renoriverfestival.com/. Accessed 23 Nov. 2016.
Shannon, Jan. “by… AND MORE CLASSIC CARS IN RENO.” New York Times, 9 Nov. 2015, p.15. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/09/and/more/classic/cars/in/renol.html. Accessed 18 Nov. 2016.
Tanner, Michael. Personal interview. 18 Nov. 2016.
“Truckee River.” Wiki | Everipedia, the Encyclopedia of Everything, 28 July 2016, www.everipedia.com/Truckee_River/. Accessed 10 December 2016.
Wines, Jordon. “Get your hot rod ready for pre-Hot August Nights party ” Reno Gazette-Journal, 6 Jul. 2016, http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2016/07/22/prepare-hot-august-nights-bonanza-casino-pre-kick-off-party/87449504/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2016.
The Great Reno Balloon Race
Around five o’clock in the morning, groups of people start rolling out of their car and stand up and stretch in the direction over Mt. Rose; sleepy attendees of all ages eagerly walk toward the middle of Rancho San Rafael Park for the annual Great Reno Balloon Race. Attracting an average of 120,000 visitors each year, the Great Reno Balloon Race has grown and become the world’s largest balloon race, an event that that has become the icon of the Reno community. Originally, the Great Reno Balloon Race began in 1982 as a placeholder between the Nevada State Fair and the Reno Championship Air Races (Great Reno Balloon Race). Today, upwards of 100 balloons participate each year in early September, bringing people from all over together who share a love for family, community and ballooning.
Three events – the Super Glow Show, the regular Glow Show, and Dawn Patrol – all occur during this colorful celebration. As pilots light their lanterns for the Glow Show, all the balloons take on an almost fictional appearance when all the balloons shine like stars in the sky. Next, the Super Glow Show takes the torch and goes blast as twenty-five to thirty enormous balloons glow choreographically to music. "Standing out on this field is like a momentary escape from reality," said Bryan Jimenez, a Freshman at UNR who witnessed the 35th Great Air Balloon Race. "The balloon race is one of my favorite events in Reno thus far," said Bryan, "At first, I was bummed that I am going to college in a small area, but this event completely changed my impression of Reno being uninteresting. When I arrived at the park was pitch black; because I had never attended a hot air balloon event before, I had no idea of where to go or what to expect. So I picked a nice spot in a wide open area that I thought would give me an up close view of everything. Well, after a while the pilots began to light the burners to fill the balloons and it happened that the spot I chose was right in the center of the launch area. I was completely surrounded by the huge balloons! It was a beautiful sight, but rather frightening since I had never seen a hot air balloon before and didn’t realize how big they were and to be surrounded by them was amazing. I was breathless as cheers erupted all around the field as one vibrant balloon after another rises into the early morning sky. Although I had to wake up super early for this, but it's worth it when you see all the balloons up close. It's a spectacular sight!” (Jimenez).
Last of the pre-race shows is Dawn Patrol, a trademark of the Great Reno Balloon Race. Dawn Patrol was first patented by the board of trustees when Federal Aviation officials approved predawn flying regulations in 1978 (Great Reno Balloon Race). Safety precautions, such as special navigation lights, became the norm and the Great Reno Balloon Race seized the opportunity and soon became a national role model for pre-dawn events in 1990 when it began launching balloons before sunrise. This show features six experienced pilots specially trained to fly in the dark; pre-dawn atmospheric conditions can be unpredictable, but the balloons twinkling against the dark Nevada sky is a favorite among many attendees (Olivares). As the sunlight begins to spread over the field, the Dawn Patrol pilots land their balloons and prepare for mass ascension. Altogether, around 100 hot air balloons begin inflating as the night sky gives way to early morning light. The splendor of these unique and beautiful balloons thrills the crowd as they enjoy the lively sights and sounds in the early morning light. According to the information provided on the official website of the Great Reno Balloon Race regarding ballooning navigation, the talented pilots at the Great Reno Balloon Race use wind currents and elevation to control the direction they travel. As pilots ascend or descend into a sea of wind currents that exist in the atmosphere, the balloon takes on different directions. While the pilots are flying out for Mass Ascension, two targets will be set up for the Maximum and Minimum Distance Double Drop. Pilots will return to the field while still airborne and attempt to throw a marker at each target. For the Minimum Distance Double Drop, they will want their markers to be as close as possible. For the Maximum Distance Double Drop, they will want their markers to be as far away from each as possible (Great Reno Balloon Race). “The event itself costs $700,000 to do,” said Copeland, the executive CEO of Great Reno Balloon Race. “But then again, we have great partners and sponsors, and they’re the ones that allow us to bring these balloons in.” The Great Reno Balloon Race had some previous difficulties with its funding. Copeland approached County Commissioner Kitty Jung in 2014 and requested to waive the fees for the 2015 race. It was a difficult position to be in for everyone involved—either waive the fees and keep the balloon race, or not have the event at all. However, the county was able waive the fees for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 balloon races. “It’s an iconic Washoe County event. It’s on our website, our opening page is pictures of the balloons,” said County Commissioner Kitty Jung. “It is something that I don’t think the community would have allowed it to go away, frankly. But it also is such an economic driver for Northern Nevada.” (Reamy). Leaving the audience in faces of awe and joy, the Great Reno Balloon Race continue to touch the heart of tens of thousands of spectators with an unforgettable sight of views.
Reno River Festival
As the mid-day mark concludes the end of the Great Reno Balloon Race, it’s time to take a stroll down the scenic Truckee River to get in action with other 32,000 audiences for America’s premier whitewater event — the Reno River Festival. The Truckee River is a body of water that slowly flows mostly northeast through the mountains to Truckee, California, then turns sharply to the east and flows into Nevada, through Reno and Sparks and along the northern end of the Carson Range (“Truckee River” ). Known for enticing the world’s top whitewater athletes every May, the Reno River Festival features professional and amateur competitions, an action-filled adventure park and an expo with the latest, hottest gear for whitewater athletes. This annual event brings the best kayakers in the country to the Truckee River Whitewater Park for the nation’s biggest competition of the year. In fact, the USA Freestyle Kayaking has awarded the Reno River Festival the 2016 U.S. National Whitewater Freestyle Championships (Reno River Festival). In addition, the Reno River Festival gives attendees a chance to enjoy a true outdoor festival setting with the Reno River Roll. This event gives the attendees who doesn’t want to participate in water-based activity an opportunity to enjoy the festival by having a bicycle run; “Tour the streets of Reno on your best ride while trailing a live mobile band and the Coors Light Girls racing team that will lead an experience unlike any bike ride you’ve been on before!” The entire event is a five-mile costumed soothing bicycle ride starts from the new Virginia Street Bridge and finish in the heart of the Reno River Festival (Reno River Festival).
According to one of the festival attendees, Michael Tanner, a local resident from Reno, “Great love bands (rock bands from 1960s and early 1970s), fun vendors and demos, and professional Kayakers competing in the beautiful waters of the Truckee River, all happening in the heart of Downtown! I was particularly intrigued by the paddle boards since it was my first time seeing it in person. Moreover, there is a huge collection of obstacles and challenges like zip-line, rock walk and bungee jumping for kids at Adventure Park within the festival. The Craft Beer Village provides all manners of great food, beer and nonalcoholic drinks to consume as well! All in all, the Reno River Festival was an unforgettable experience and I would totally do it again .” (Tanner). The Reno community’s establishment of the Reno River Festival not only provided recreational outlets, but it also became a major addition to Northern Nevada’s signature events.
Hot August Nights
After you wipe away the water splashes from the Reno River Festival, look no farther than the streets of Reno. Crowds of spectators line the sidewalks for a glimpse into the past when “a driver’s license and a hot car were all anyone needed or wanted on a Saturday night”. The Biggest Little City shifts into high gear for the largest classic car and nostalgic event in the country — Hot August Nights. Thousands of visitors come every August for the powerful automobiles and electrifying music of the 50's, 60's and early 70's. Hot August Nights showcase more than 6,000 vehicles from this golden era of design, with events all over Reno and Sparks (Hot August Nights). During the night on August 1, 1986, the Reno-Sparks Convention Center was bursting with hundreds of revelers who were partying, cheering and pushing to be let into a first-time event of a magnitude yet to be realized. Inside, 10,000 spectators massed together in anticipation of seeing and hearing a live event of the Righteous Brothers, Wolfman Jack, and Jan & Dean (Wines). It was that night when nostalgia was unleashed among an audience who excitedly relived their childhood years of the 50’s and 60’s-a time of innocence, prosperity, cars and the birth of Rock and Roll. Notably, the aim of Hot August Nights was to fill a need in tourism in Reno during the month of August and to raise money for local charities. The first year of Hot August Nights was more of a nostalgia event than a car event, but it was the car parade that was the highlight of the event for the participants and the crowds who thronged Virginia Street (Shannon).
The car owners were proud to show off their cars because they rarely get the chance to reveal their collection to the public. From show-n-shines to nightly cruises, from drag races and burnouts to AutoCross, the restored classic cars give enthusiasts a great experience of popular decades done by. The Hot August Nights Auction presented by Motorsport Auction Group promises to excite bidders with gorgeous classic vehicles. “Nothing makes me prouder than seeing northern Nevada’s streets filled with classic cars and lined with smiling faces during the event and knowing that our volunteers, sponsors and staff helped bring everyone in the car-loving community together,” Executive Director of Hot August Nights Tony Marini ardently states (Wines). Hot August Nights kicks off its entertainment series with the nostalgic sounds of the 50s and 60s from top tribute bands, covering everything from The Beach Boys to The Guess Who, and Ronny & The Classics performing the greatest covers from classic rock to pop. Papa Doo Run Run, a California Grammy-nominated band and two-time gold record holder, gets the crowd dancing to upbeat surf tunes (Shannon). Fan favorite Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone once again gets the crowd “Into Something Good,” while Billboard chart-topper Blood Sweat & Tears appears with their acclaimed fusion of rock and jazz. The closure of the festival is Hotel California “A Salute to the Eagles,” blending their vocal and musical talents to bring iconic hits back to life, and the legendary former lead singer of the original Platters Sonny Turnery crooning the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s hits of yesteryear (Hot August Nights).
While Hot August Nights has become world-renowned over its nearly 30 years of existence, knowledge of its generous registered nonprofit arm—the Hot August Nights Foundation—isn’t always as wide-spread. Each year, the organization secures and distributes tens of thousands of dollars in cash and merchandise to help children in the community that are in need, or considered at-risk. “Many people don’t realize that Hot August Nights Foundation is a separate entity from Hot August Nights—it’s a volunteer-member organization that works year-round to raise money and resources for children in our community,” exudes Hot August Nights Executive Director Mike Whan. “The volunteer group works diligently to ensure that in need or at-risk children in northern Nevada are given the resources they need to succeed in life (Wines)” Hot August Nights is a festival that not only provides a time travel chance for classic car enthusiast and rock-and-roll fans, it also exemplified the multifaceted interest showcased within the Reno community.
Burning Man
Around a quarter past nine at night, as Hot August Nights still welcoming crowds and crowds of visitors, a throng of over thirty thousand revelers enthusiastically shout “Burn it!” in a remote corner of northwestern Reno’s Black Rock Desert. Those who gathered together on this occasion, known collectively as “Burners” and the occasion of is known as “The Burning Man.” Among the numerous qualities of the Burning Man experience that are shared by all festival participants–the heat, the dust, the Burn-there is one aspect that is necessarily universal: the journey. Whether through the rainforest of the Pacific Northwest, by plane from the East Coast or across the pond, or simply down the road from nearby area, the festival’s remote location on the Black Rock Desert requires all attendees to travel to join in the happening.
Since the first Burning Man in 1986, this event has gradually become the central icon of a widespread community (Falco 108). Every August, for a full week, thousands of participants coming from all over the world have camped in a two-mile-wide semicircular civic space arrayed around a temporary town called Black Rock City. The entire festival is situated on the “playa”, which is a cracked surface of a dry and flat prehistoric lakebed that’s completely devoid of any vegetation or animal habitat. Temperatures can range from 40F at night to well over 100F during the day, while fierce dust storms with winds of 75 mph are common occurrences (Margolin 150). At the center of it all stands the Man, an enormous sculpture that will be burn down at the end of the festival. Creatively designed temporary shelters thrive in Black Rock City, as do festive decorations and thoughtful costumes. Moreover, the citizens of the Burning Man all circulate on foot or on bicycles, or in elaborately modified vehicles known as “art cars,” licensed by the DMV, Department of Mutant Vehicles, as artistic exceptions to a policy of prohibiting individuals from driving their own cars. Black Rock City maintains basic civic amenities such as an internal peacekeeping force of specially trained “rangers”; a “Department of Public Works”, who begin building the city’s infrastructure over a month before the festival commences; emergency medical services; a functional post office; an official daily newspaper called The Black Rock Gazettes; dozens of pirate radio stations, and a central café called the Center Camp Café, which is the city’s single largest structure (Falco 94). Last, but certainly not least, the city’s sanitation needs are met by several hundred regularly serviced chemical toilets placed at key junctures amidst its highways and byways.
A particularly significant feature of this city is the fact that there are no advertisements anywhere to be seen, even the signage on rented trucks is often creatively altered or otherwise masked from view. Because vending is forbidden, the inhabitants of the city enact what is idealistically referred to as a “gift economy,” freely sharing what they have brought, just as they share the many other burdens of surviving the harsh and daunting desert. Oftentimes, Burners organize themselves into groups that create “theme camps,” usually presented as whimsical places dedicated to a particular motif or affinity, each functioning as a hub for its own extended community (Margolin 164). Numbering in the hundreds, these camps form themselves into an arcade that semi-publicly and semi satirically displays human exemplification of a variety of subcultural lifestyles, each splendid with appropriate code words, identifying artifacts as fanciful totems.
Over the week-long event, the participants of the Burning Man unite themselves into a tightly knit community of kindred spirits and shared priorities even though no one actually can state with confident certainty what those priorities might beyond the prohibition of vending and corporate advertising, and that no trace of their inhabitation of this space should be left behind. Another dictum that remains a popular ideal is the injunction to participate in some way, with the corollary that there should be no spectator (Luckman 15). Simply put, everyone in attendance is accountable for making some kind of positive contribution to the collective experience. As one longtime participant wrote, “Burning Man employs ritual, but it is ritual removed from the context of theology. Unhindered by dogma, ritual becomes a vessel that can be filled with direct experience. Burning Man is about having that experience, not about explaining it. ” (Luckman 19). The stated refusals of doctrine notwithstanding, Burning Man nevertheless encourages attendees to tap into a vast, multicultural pot of symbolic means with which to playfully explore and locate their experiences.
At the end of the day, the four festivals depicted above are only the tip of Reno’s festival iceberg. There’s no doubt that Reno is a great location for casinos and ski resorts; however, they are not the only thing that’s shared by this beloved community. After all, the festivals in Reno propel the whole community toward a common interest, a surrounding full of good hopes, happiness and joy.
Works Cited
Burning Man. The Burning Man Project, 2016, http://burningman.org/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2016.
Falco, Edward. Burning Man: Stories. Southern Methodist University Press, 2011.
Great Reno Balloon Race. Great Reno Balloon Race, 2016, http://renoballoon.com/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2016.
Hot August Nights. Hot August Nights, 2016, http://hotaugustnights.net/. Accessed 18 Nov. 2016.
Jimenez, Bryan. Person interview. 20 Nov. 2016.
Luckman, Susan. “Festive Emplacements: Burning Man and Goa Trance.” Cultural Studies Review, vol. 17, no. 1, 01 Mar. 2011, pp. 14 - 19, Social Science Database, doi: 10.5130/csr.v17i1.1982. Accessed 18 Nov. 2016.
Margolin, Phillip M. Burning Man. Time Warner Paperbacks, 2003.
Olivares, Jose. “Preview: The 2016 Great Reno Balloon Race.” Reno Gazette-Journal, 17 Jul. 2016, http://www.rgj.com/story/news/2016/07/14/do-not-publish-balloon-races-reveal/87103000/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2016.
Reamy, Lois Madison. “Reno and Lake Tahoe.” The Nature, vol. 43, no. 11, p.143, EBSCO, http://unr.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=9502082603&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Accessed 22 Nov. 2016
Reno River Festival. Reno River Festival, 2016, http://renoriverfestival.com/. Accessed 23 Nov. 2016.
Shannon, Jan. “by… AND MORE CLASSIC CARS IN RENO.” New York Times, 9 Nov. 2015, p.15. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/09/and/more/classic/cars/in/renol.html. Accessed 18 Nov. 2016.
Tanner, Michael. Personal interview. 18 Nov. 2016.
“Truckee River.” Wiki | Everipedia, the Encyclopedia of Everything, 28 July 2016, www.everipedia.com/Truckee_River/. Accessed 10 December 2016.
Wines, Jordon. “Get your hot rod ready for pre-Hot August Nights party ” Reno Gazette-Journal, 6 Jul. 2016, http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2016/07/22/prepare-hot-august-nights-bonanza-casino-pre-kick-off-party/87449504/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2016.