This is a happy week for many here in Northwest Nevada as it’s time to celebrate and create memories. Some of the sights are in a photo gallery at the end of this article.
RENO/SPARKS – Hot August Nights is one of the most anticipated festivals in the Reno/Sparks, Nevada area. It celebrates America’s love of automobiles and Rock and Roll especially the 1950’s into the 1970’s era.
For an entire week the towns are full of poodle skirts, rock n’ roll bands, poker runs and walks as well as more cars from that era than most people can count.
Leading up to the event folks from all over drive or tow their tenderly cared for and restored cars, trucks and buses to this area.
The celebration begins on the Comstock as Virginia City hosts a Friday/Saturday kick off event where the cars are on display then have short time to cruise the main street. Then after a traditional show and shine at a local casino the various venues finish setting up for the week.
On Monday the Peppermill and Atlantis Casinos have their own kick off parties as participants begin to show off their cars. And start cruising them around the towns.
Hot August Nights is colorful time and here are three Hoods on display at the Peppermill.
Over at the Peppermill on Tuesday there was a live radio remote at the Peppermill Hotel and Casino with Teresa’s Garage. Her show focuses on women in the automotive field or female racers.
Teresa’s Garage did a live show from the Peppermill on Tuesday. From therer host Teresa Aquila moved over to Sparks for more remotes.
And she’ll be doing more remotes over in Sparks on Wednesday and Thursday.
The parking lots set aside for Hot August Nights begin to t fill up as more and more people either cruise through them or park their cars for display. In addition to the cars there are many vendors selling just about anything a person could want.
Over at the Grand Sierra the entire northwest parking lot is reserved for the vendors and cars. Inside the hotel is where participants were registering for the event.
In addition to the cars and vendors all the venues have live entertainment with various bands playing period music.
Downtown Reno has show n shines, poker walks and at the Events Center the annual “Big Boy’s Toy Store.” Here you can buy everything from themed shirts to engine accessories.
Over at the Convention Center, by the Atlantis, Motorsports Auction Group will auctioning classic cars during the week.
This year a new event has been added in one of the parking lots at the Livestock Events Center. During the week there will be autocross and drifting where drivers get to demonstrate their car control abilities.
Once again at the west parking lot of the Sparks Nugget there is a short drag strip for burnouts and timed runs.
While downtown Reno has cruise nights one of the crowd favorites is on Victorian Avenue in Sparks.
It begins with an open cruise on Tuesday then from Wednesday through Saturday, from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. only registered cars will be allowed. The street has two lanes and both are used much to the delight of the fans.
So there you have it, a brief overview of probably the biggest event in Northwest Nevada. If you can’t be here this year then plan on coming next year for the 31st edition of this popular event.
In 2017 the Virginia City dates are August 4 through 5 while the celebration in Reno and Sparks runs from August 8 through August 13.
For further information please check the event’s website at, www.hotaugustnights.net.
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Here is a gallery showing just a bit of what an be seen during Hot August Nights.
