Holiday events on tap this weekend in Hawthorne and Northern Nevada

There are plenty of holiday events happening this weekend in Northern Nevada as residents of the state get into the holiday spirit and kick off the season in style.

Right here in Hawthorne on Friday night is the annual Christmas Parade and tree lighting. The parade is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at Ace Hardware and head through downtown before stopping at Freedom Park where the tree lighting and event will be.

The event will feature crafts, free food and of course an appearance by Santa Claus.

If you’re heading out of town and are in the Fallon area, there is a two-day event that is sure to get you into the holiday spirit.

The City of Fallon is hosting their annual Hometown Christmas Celebration from December 1-2.

The Christmas open house, hosted by Mayor Ken Tedford, Councilwoman Kelly Frost, Councilwoman Karla Kent, and Councilman Paul Harmon, will be a space for guests to enjoy refreshments, cookie decorating, and holiday camaraderie. The festivities will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, December 1, at Fallon City Hall and The Douglass House. The tree lighting will follow at 6:30 p.m. in addition to Christmas events happening throughout Fallon’s historic Maine Street.

“It’s the most wonderful time of year, and the Fallon City Council and I are eager to invite the Fallon community and our visitors to this year’s Christmas Celebrations,” said Mayor Ken Tedford. “We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and look forward to sparking Christmas spirit across our town.”

Santa’s Wonderland, on December 2, will be full of Christmas craft opportunities, such as cookie decorating, wagon rides, and ornament making. Santa will also be in attendance to meet kids and take photos. There will be a letter-writing station for kids to write their Christmas wishes to Santa as well.

Fallon’s newly opened ice rink, Fallon on Ice, will be open throughout the weekend, adding to the celebrations and good tidings. Friday nights are the ice rink’s weekly theme nights, so to add to the fun, skaters, and viewers are invited to come on December 1 dressed in their best Marvel-themed costumes! The rink will close after Session 3 at 5:30 p.m., then reopen after the tree lighting for Session 4 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. For more information regarding Fallon on Ice hours and pricing, visit the official website.

If you happen to be in the Reno-Sparks area then make sure to attend the holiday events they have on tap this weekend in Sparks.

The annual tree lighting ceremony will be held Friday, Dec. 1 from 6:30– 7 p.m. next to the large gazebo on the corner of Victorian Avenue and Victorian Plaza Circle. The ceremony includes music from Gruve Nation. Mayor Ed Lawson will flip the switch to light the city’s permanent living Christmas tree, a 60-foot blue spruce.

On Saturday, December 2 at 1 p.m., the City will celebrate 36 years of tradition with its Hometowne Christmas Parade. This year’s theme is Dashing Through the Decades with marching bands, costumes, animals, floats, and more. The parade travels east to west on Victorian Avenue from Pyramid Way to Victorian Plaza Circle. Santa’s Float is sponsored by Rail City Casino and was created by a local Boy Scouts troop.

In addition to the city-sponsored events, 39 North is hosting its annual 39 North Pole at Victorian Plaza, in front of the Galaxy Theatre on Victorian Avenue. The event brings together food trucks, entertainment, holiday light displays, and a craft fair, held in a heated vendor tent.

The 2023 Parade Grand Marshal is Shawna Downs, owner of Tholl Fence. Tholl fence is the largest fence company in Northern Nevada and has proudly served the community for over a century. With a legacy spanning 110 years, Tholl Fence has deep roots in the region.

“This year’s parade theme is Dashing Through the Decades, and we can’t think of anyone better to represent commitment to our community than Mrs. Downs,” said Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson. The long-time Sparks business owner will be driven in a car provided by Hot August Nights.

The Mayor’s Own Marching Band will march in the parade and showcase the musical talents of Sparks middle and high school students as one large marching band. The band is comprised of more than 200 students from Sparks Middle School, Sparks High School, and Spanish Springs High School.

To help audience members requiring assistance, a wheelchair seating area is provided along the parade route in front of the Nugget Event Center, between 10th and 11th Streets.

Santa is available to his fans for photos at the 39 North Pole event venue before and after the parade from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30–5:30 p.m. Santa will visit with children and pose for commemorative photos for a donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows. Boys & Girls Club members will serve as Santa’s helpers.

Schedule of Events

THURSDAY, NOV. 30

• 39 North Pole, 4 to 9 p.m.: Light Displays, entertainment, and outdoor bazaar

FRIDAY, DEC. 1

• Tree Lighting Ceremony, 6:30 to 7 p.m. Complimentary hot chocolate from Living Stones Church Gruve Nation playing Christmas tunes
• 39 North Pole, 4 to 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, DEC. 2

Parade Day Activities: 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

• Santa Photos at 39 North, presented by Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p. m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Sparks Hometowne Christmas Parade, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
• 39 North Pole, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.