Carnival & Fair News

Running June 5 through 8 this year in Carson City, the Nevada State Fair had a busy year, adding to its robust vendor list, and offering fairgoers rides, fair food, and music. There was no admission fee to attend the fair, but unlimited ride wristbands were offered by midway provider Brass Ring Amusements Midway of Fun. The wristbands were priced at $35 at the gate; $30 for an advance purchase. 

Founded in 1874, the fair has changed locations and management over the years. For a whopping 136 years, the fair was held in Reno. It was Nevada's longest running event and was held in that location until 2011. However, that year, the Nevada State Fair Board of Directors made the difficult decision to close the fair, due to a budget shortfall of $250,000 which when added to existing debt made it too difficult to continue operating. For a few years, the State had no fair. But fortunately for Nevadans, a new nonprofit was formed and took over managing the fair, this time in the new location of Carson City. The fair has now run in that location since 2014, with a 2020 break due to the pandemic. A collaboration of both private enterprise and the state, the fair celebrated its 10th year at the new location.

Held in Mills Park, the fair does not bring in livestock, and never charges admission. According to Teela Ruehle of the Nevada State Fair operating team, it is not a themed fair.

Ruehle says that attendance at the event was strong this year. She says the state fair team's preliminary estimate was “10 thousand for the four-day event, which was a good turnout.” 

Among the fair's attractions is the popular Home and Garden show located in the park's Pavilion, where home improvement merchandise is key from solar panel installation to patios and sunrooms. 

Food is also an important element, from midway fare to a diverse variety of food trucks. There were deep fried Oreos, burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, and zucchini, as well as crispy corn dogs, fresh funnel cakes, lemonade, loaded fries, Bubble tea, and giant turkey legs. 

Ruehle explains that “We limit food trucks to just a few of each of the different food groups.” She notes that many of the food trucks were big hits with fairgoers this year, including Tacos & Salsa, Dickies BBQ, and Koko's Teriyaki as well as the “Sugar Rush Cotton Candy, which creates Cartoon Cotton Candy.” The latter spun their fresh cotton candy live, making a treat that “was a big hit for all ages, not just the kids,” she says. 



Ruehle also notes that there was an increase in requests to be a fair vendor this year. “We had more than 90 craft, sales, and information vendors this year, which was an increase from the past few years.” There were artisans and craft sellers as well as those offering home improvement goods.

Unsurprisingly, the carnival was the biggest draw of the fair. Ruehle says that “Popular rides this year were the Drop Zone and Tornado, [which were provided by Brass Ring] as well as a park mini train that ran thanks to the Carson & Mills Park Railroad volunteers.” Also popular were the Super Slide, bumper cars, and of course, always drawing crowds, the Ferris Wheel. Popular games included water derby races.



Along with the Carson City event, the Nevada State Fair team also put on spring's Reno Fest, a first-time event this year. Held April 17-25 at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Center, the eleven-day event offered carnival food, rides, games, and a vendor area. Like the Nevada State Fair, admission was free, with the midway rides and games, also run by Brass Ring, offering pre-sale unlimited ride wristbands at $30, with wristbands $35 at the gate.  

The event offered discounted rides for college nights, nurses, teachers, fire and police, and a kid's day. The fair was open on Easter Sunday, which was another discounted day, allowing guests to enjoy meeting a costumed Easter Bunny and find hidden Easter eggs placed around the fairgrounds.

According to fest director Lindsey Pratt, the team was “real excited to host...and bring back family memories from when we were kids. We have carnival rides for little tiny kids to big kids and adult thrill rides.” The Fun Slide, Ferris Wheel, Bumper Cars, Polar Express, and Crazy Dazy were all popular. There were plenty of games for attendees to enjoy, too, from darts to water races. 



Food was a special highlight at the event, Pratt notes, from both food trucks and midway vendors. Among the most popular were corn dogs, turkey legs, deep fried Oreos, tacos, hand-carry churro cups, and funnel cakes in a wide range of flavors from traditional powdered sugar to strawberry. For fairgoers excited to try many different eats, the fair held “two-dollar Tuesdays. All our vendors and food trucks offer two-dollar items.”

And along with the carnival and food, 50-plus vendors were on hand with a wide range of crafts and products.

She stressed that the fair's debut includes everything “people love about a fair: carnival games, rides, and food.”