Second year at the Rib Cook-Off and it's time for a review!…read more This event takes place every year by Victorian Square and the Nugget. Dozens of BBQ joints from around the country come to sell ribs, but also other bbq meats and sides. There are two main ways to enjoy the event: purchase tickets to the VIP area or walk around Victoria Square and pay for whatever item you want to order at each stall. I did the VIP tent last year and the pay at the stall this year. VIP Rib Village: this part is expensive, about $150 per person. But, what you receive is great if you plan on eating a lot! You get unlimited ribs, sides, bbq sauce, drinks (including alcoholic) and ice cream. You also get a table and chair so this is perfect if you want to make sure you have somewhere to sit. It is set up like a buffet station and you really get to try every different rib vendor. This was a really fun experience, the drawback being that the wings aren't always as fresh as they're hatched up and can be waiting around in a catering dish. The ice cream was such a cool treat at the end of the night though and it was nice to be in a shaded spot. General Area: this is free admission and you basically walk around lined up stalls of BBQ and other food vendors. This is really nice if you're not going to eat as much, and if you a want to eat items that aren't just ribs. Every stall has other smoked meats, sandwiches, platters and desserts. You can basically just order what you want, just like you would at any food truck festival. Prices are still steep, think $12-14 for a 3 rib sampler, $30-40 for meat platters, $8-15 for sides etc. If you like to try a few things but don't want a full meal, especially if you can share with someone else, this may end up being the cheaper option. There also aren't many options set up to sit down, though you can find some spots on stairs/retaining walls to sit if the night isn't too busy. It can also be hard to find shade especially in the middle of the day. You can use the outdoor parking lot at the Nugget, street parking or Uber for convenience. We had no issues finding parking but have not gone on the busier weekend days. Overall, this is such a great event while not a cheap one, and I have enjoyed myself both times!

9/5/26- I had plans…read moreto stop by tomorrow, but since we were in the area, decided to have lunch. We used to get free Ribfest tickets, but this year they changed. Luckily we got two free tickets.. Better organized with the names of the vendors-.. but once you put the ribs on you forget which was what.. Second round: got the two favorite ones I liked with their sauces.. Beautiful day and perfect weather..

My go to always!!! Love their suites and all the atmosphere along with the good restaurants. Really…read moregood gaming ands always have an amazing time!

Fun event and some really great, different kinds of chili. I wish there had been outside chili…read morecompetitors as this was all GSR restaurants.

This was a nice little afternoon diversion for the wife and me. We were able to walk around a bit…read moreand take in the scenery. So super conveniently located to Baldini's where we were able to go and have some lunch! Walking around we saw lots of cool little things and plants we might get at a later date. If we had smaller kids they probably would have loved the police vehicles that were on hand to ooooh and ahhhh over. We had too much planned out in the asphalt and concrete world we weren't able to stay for the different talks that they had planned throughout the day. Plus our brown thumbs probably would have started killing everything in sight. We aren't really crafty or gardeny ....not a word. Anyway maybe by next year we will have sprouted a green thumb to be nurtured by this event.

Nice festival that was exceptionally poignet with the horrific fires on Maui…read more I love the sharing of native cultures - food, dance, and song. This definately family friendly event is a very welcome annual festival in downtown Reno. Hope to be able to attend this fun event on a regular basis.

I loved this festival. It is very family friendly as it's a no-alcohol event and had lots of…read moreactivities for the kids. The whole vibe was very welcoming and positive. They had constant entertainment and it was not overcrowded. Their were food vendors and we had a delicious teriyaki chicken with rice and macaroni salad and for dessert there was shaved ice and mochi. Loved seeing the vendors with all types of crafts for sale. It's a really mellow festival and loved that they we're supporting the Maui Wildfire Relief fund.

This is the kick-off for what will be a monthly event in conjunction with the Wine Walk on the…read morethird Saturday from now until October. It is sponsored by the TMCC Alumni association with the proceeds going to support first generation TMCC students. This was a really nice event and really kept to the theme of local arts and crafts. There are booths with jewelry, pottery, hand crafted glassware, photography, visual arts, health and beauty items as well as wine snobs paraphernalia. There was live music which adds to the festival atmosphere. The items for sale were of nice quality and really ranged in price. I think it would be a great place to buy unique items that are not available at every other street fair around. Not a tie-die t-shirt or funky sunglasses to be found here. This is really a nice quality Arts and Crafts event.

I have never been to this festival before, but some of my friends told me about it and recommended…read moreit to me, so I decided to come by and check it out. When I first showed up I was quite surprise to see that it looked very similar to the Rib Cookoff, a yearly event that I go to every year! Lots of the streets closed off from traffic for foot walk, with several stands of shops, food, drinks and more! A live band performance, and people everywhere! I got food from one of the stands, Meatballs and Polenta. I got meatballs and garlic bread. The meatballs were really good but the garlic bread got very hard by the time I started to eat it. Pretty fun. Fun little event for sure! Definitely go check it out if you enjoy Italian food whenever you're in the area!

Although the weather wasn't perfect, this event was busy. We ended up going once to shop the booths…read moreand see all the neat stuff people make and sell. We went another time to eat when the food vendors were less busy. The artichoke/italian sausage was amazing. The mushroom ravioli was tasty, we found some pastries with cinnamon and sugar but I can't remember what they were called. There was a wine walk (we didn't partake in) but there were lots of wines to taste. Thanks to the Eldorado for this 12th straight year that I have attended.

Wasn't expecting planning on the festival but really got a chance to enjoy it. I got a chance to…read moretake advantage of the VIP tent with lots of amazing food and great music.

This was my first time at the Reno River Festival and I had a good time. The vendors were nice,…read morefriendly, and genuinely passionate about their craft which was very refreshing. The live performances were fun, and I can definitely see this becoming a staple for Reno Events. I didn't expect to pay $20 for entrance which was a bummer as we were going to bring more family and friends but the entry cost was a little too high for bringing kids. There were a nice set of carnival rides, but I was discouraged on buying tickets as we had already $40 to get into the event and wanted to save some of our budget to buy things from vendors. We went on the last day of the event, in the early afternoon and it was nice to see more locals enjoying themselves and it wasn't too crowded which was a plus in our book! My fiancé and I loved that dogs are welcome to join us as some other outdoor events do not allow us to bring our puppy. Overall, the variety of food, atmosphere, and performances were awesome! I only wish the entry price was reduced as I would've brought more people and would've had more money to spend on the vendors. Final verdict... I would definitely come back, but only if the entry prices come down or are removed. If this is your first time attending the event, the $20 is not so bad to see the art installations and see the live performances. I would recommend this for first timers.

One of my favorite free things to do! Well maintained grounds, tranquil areas and it's so peaceful…read moreon weekends when there are no events! Such a beautiful place to simply unwind.

Went to Dragon Lights and this event is perfect for all ages! From first dates, young families, and…read moreso on! Spend all day here or kill a couple hours. Every scenery was designed with intention and there were a couple food trucks in case you wanted to grab a snack. Two sections for parking and we went on a Thursday so parking wasn't that bad! Definitely worth going!

If you've never been to the The Great Reno Balloon Race, put it on your list. Watching the balloons…read morelight up before sunrise and slowly fill the sky is something you have to experience in person. The event is well organized, family friendly, and has a great community atmosphere. My biggest tip is to arrive early, dress in layers, and bring a chair or blanket. It gets chilly before the sun comes up, but it's absolutely worth it. Whether you're a local or visiting Reno, this is one of those events that reminds you how special our community is. I'll definitely be back.

Free Event yearly!!! It was an amazing experience seeing all the balloons up close. Rancho San…read moreRafael is such a big place it can accommodate all balloons that are joining the race. It's not a regret waking up 2 in the morning to see this magical event. The dawn patrol started at 5am so we were there about 3:30. Parking starts to fill at that time and we were all bundled up. If you plan to do this event, wear comfy shoes as there's a lot of walking to get to the parking and going into the park itself. There's $25 cash parking fee if you park at San Rafael. But if you park outside, it's always free. Bring blankets and folded chairs. There's merchants selling food and other things which start serving at about 5:30 am. The place is almost at full capacity as early as 5am so be there at least 3:30am. I'm sure you will have an amazing time! All balloons for Dawn Patrol ascended at 5:30. Then about 7am all the other balloons started going up. See you again, next year!

9/9/2023 Saturday noon…read more. A first for us coming on a Saturday.. It helps buying the tickets online, but you still have to go to the booth to get the actual tickets.. Tickets also come with $10 in food! Fortunate this year, as the youngest son was visiting.. We got the lamb gyros-soft bread, plenty of meat but missing some flavors.. Greek fries- yum!. Plenty of feta and seasoned right.. Also got the skewered souvlaki.. tasty and tender.. Loukoumades- unfortunately, there was difficulties with the dough.. so they had to start over.. Walking out, son decided on getting the Greek grounded coffee.. Can't leave without getting the Greek desserts!

Always a wonderful event! Parking can be tricky but the parking lot of church next door was…read moreavailable for $5. The wait to purchase tickets for entrance was not bad. They had two lines: one for cash and one for cards. The wait in the card line was about 2 minutes and the wait in the cash line was about 4 minutes. Entry to Greek Fest is $5 per person. Every event staff that we encountered was helpful, happy, welcoming, and kind. There was a group of kids (possibly NJROTC) helping out with keeping the areas clean, removing used trays, and helping where needed. They did an awesome job. Most of the tip jars had signs naming a charity that those tips were designated for. There is tons of seating indoors and outdoors. When you enter the main room, The Helios Greek band is playing lively greek music on the stage. This inside area is where you will find the à la carte food, the raffles, restrooms, and drinks. This is also where the dancers will perform at their scheduled times. In a smaller room off to the side you will find the imports, the bookshop, coffee, pastries, and the entrance for the church tours. Outside there are handheld food items, restrooms, the bar, deserts, venders, and the the kids area. The food was delicious!!! As usual! Dolmades(stuffed grape leaves): flavorful, succulent, and cooked perfectly (my favorite!!) Feta fries: crispy, seasoned with the perfect balance of herbs and fresh feta Lamb: well seasoned but slightly dry Chicken: seasoned throughout and moist-delicious (and I don't like chicken!) Pastitsio(Greek lasagna): cooked excellently, well-balanced seasoning, so good that you couldn't stop eating it Spanakopita: harmonious flavors with the perfect ratio of ingredients Loukoumades(Greek donuts): soft, airy, and unevenly coated with honey Various pastries: delicious and sweet, lots of nuts on things