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Bargain
Travel West guide to unique destinations, sight-seeing, history and
culture, budget travel vacation ideas for the independent traveler
in the
western U.S., Canada and Caribbean.
Travel Bargain Destination
in Nevada
HOT
AUGUST NIGHTS IN RENO
Classic Car
Nostalgia in Northern Nevada
Heard from
a colorful old character on the streets of Reno, Nevada, “Hey,
I had one of them ’58 Fords! Someone’s prob’ly bought
the dang thing and customised it by now!” I know the sentiment.
I had a ’65 Mustang once upon a time which has probably been restored
or customized, appearing at the occasional weekend car show of American
made steel, where automoble enthusiasts lovingly display their restored
or modified vintage vehicles for a prize trophy and the pleasure of those
fascinated with the seven seal coat custom paint and bright polished
chrome header horsepower under the hood. Reno has more than its share
of colorful
old characters and in sunny hot August every year, more than its share
of colorful old classic cars. For 8 days, from Sunday to Sunday the first
week of August, the “Hot August Nights” celebration of American
car culture takes over “The World’s Biggest Little City”,
turning the casino town into the world’s biggest classic customised
car show, if not the world’s biggest used car lot.
Hot August Nights for 2010 - Aug. 1-8
“Hot August Nights” is a remarkable phenomenon, with over 300 individual
events of car competitions, cruises, parties held in casino parking
lots and thorugh blocked off streets of Reno and Sparks, which have virtually
grown together into one nearly indistiguishable metropole. Some recent
controversy arose over whether with the event’s growing popularity
and scale the organizers would move it to another metropolitan city,
with a weekend off-shoot appearing in Long Beach in Southern California,
but
it is hard to imagine any other city being able to stand a full week
of being taken over. And nearly impossible for the amount and variety
of events
without the support of a city of casinos adding promotional support.
Its more likely if the “Hot August Nights” appear elsewhere,
it will be more in the nature of franchise than departure. The celebratory
car events have grown so that now they begin in South Shore Lake Tahoe
for a weekend kick-off before the main events in Reno and Sparks.
“Hot August Nights” was born in Reno at a hugely successful 50’s
Rock n’ Roll concert and party at the Reno Convention Center
on the 1st of August, 1986, when nostalgia for the glories of the recalled
youth
of the “baby boomers” had reach a level in need of an outlet
and it seemed that an annual event of cars and music of the 1950s and
60s would be just the trick and a perfect fit to attract tourists to
Reno and
Sparks during the heated doldrums of late summer, and raise money for
local charities. It worked and the event has grown from one night of
a cruise
down Virginia Street to the massive multi-venure extravaganza it is
today.
With a schedule of events of “Show-n-Shines”, Sock-Hops,
Car Auctions, Swap Meets, and Cruise Parades too numerous to list (check
out
the Hot August Night website for a downloadable full schedule)
and held all over town, from the Bonanza on the edge of town to the
neon Peppermill
on South Virginia Street, Reno’s newest resort hotel the Atlantis,
the Eldorado and Silver Legacy downtown, and name entertainment stage
shows are held at the Victorian Square at John Ascuaga’s Nugget
Hotel and Casino in Sparks and the Grand Sierra Resort, if visiting
Reno
during the
week of Hot August Nights, where
participants are spectators as well, with the cars seen everywhere
in casino hotel parking lots, cruising down the one horse main street
of
silver rush
historic Virginia City, on highway overpasses.
If flying into Reno to attend the Hot August Nights events, most major
hotels provide shuttles from the airport. Rental cars can get you from
one place to another in the cities, but if you are not planning on
driving to other locations like Lake Tahoe or Virginia City, and plan
on staying
in Reno/Sparks, it might be best travel by taxi, or local Citifare
bus as general parking at the event locations venues can be limited.
There
is a bus terminal at Victorian Square at the Nugget so almost any community
bus will get you to there. To participate with your own shiny classic,
whether customised, restored, or just beloved, you need to register
in advance. © Bargain
Travel West
Find the best hotel deals, compare prices in Reno on TripAdvisor
Web Info
Hot August
Nights
These
articles are copyrighted and the sole property of Bargain Travel West
and WLEV, LLC. and may not be copied or reprinted without permission.
Some photos courtesy Great Reno Balloon Race.
See these other articles on Bargain Travel West:
LEGENDS OUTLET AT SPARKS MARINA
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