What to Do by Season in Reno and Tahoe

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Pick your season and get the list: what runs in winter, spring, summer and fall around Reno, Truckee and Tahoe, with 2027 dates shown only where an organizer printed them.

Checked November 3, 2026. Dates, prices and hours change; the official page wins.

Nov 292026 V&T holiday trains start
May 15Sand Harbor reservations begin
Sept 9-122027 balloon race
Oct 31Nevada Day

Every fact on this page was read on the linked It’s Reno place pages, which cite the official pages they came from. Hours, fees and dates change; the place page and the official site win.

Winter

Skiing and snow play lead: see ski and snow. The V&T lists holiday trains: Candy Cane Express November 29 to December 20, 2026 and Electric Holiday Train of Lights November 29 to December 19, 2026. The Riverwalk lists a free Holiday Lights Festival. Zephyr Cove lists a Thanksgiving Cruise, a Santa Cruise on December 19 and a New Year’s Eve dinner cruise. Mountain roads need planning: winter driving.

Spring

Spring dates we could confirm are few. The Truckee River Riding Railroad runs select spring-to-fall weekends with 2026-27 dates not confirmed. Bowers Mansion tours start Memorial Day weekend 2027 (May 29), and the V&T season starts Memorial Day weekend. Check the events calendar for dated events.

Summer

Beach and lake season: lakes and beaches. Sand Harbor requires day-use reservations May 15 to September 30. Commons Beach has Sunday concerts and a Thursday farmers market in summer. Hot August Nights is listed for July 30 to August 8 in 2027 (year Not Confirmed on the organizer’s page).

Fall

The Great Reno Balloon Race is September 9 to 12, 2027. The Genoa Candy Dance is the last full weekend of September. The camel and ostrich races in Virginia City ran September 11 to 13 in 2026. Nevada Day is October 31, with the Carson City parade since 1938.

Dated Events by Month

See the events by month page for the full list, which is built from organizer pages.

What We Could Not Confirm

These items were not read on an official page when we checked, so we do not state them as fact. Who can confirm each one is named.

2027 dates for the Candy Dance, camel races and Nevada Day parade (organizers).
Spring events dates (Truckee Chamber, Visit Reno Tahoe).

More to Explore

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time to visit Reno?

It depends on what you want: ski season in winter, beaches in summer, balloons and Nevada Day in fall. We do not rank months.

Sources

Cite this page: It’s Reno editorial team, “What to Do by Season in Reno and Tahoe,” itsreno.com, checked November 3, 2026.

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