Carson Rendezvous celebration kicks off today with parade

A parade from the Capitol to Mills Park will kick off today's Rendezvous celebration.

The 9:30 a.m. procession will feature a Wells Fargo stagecoach, Hoofbeats horse-drawn wagon, Mountain Men, Civil War volunteers and Native Americans.

Their route will follow Carson Street to William Street and then to Mills Park, where they should arrive by 10 a.m.

Lacy J. Dalton will headline the Carson Rendezvous in Mills Park today.

Today is the second and busiest of the three-day event, with entertainment such as cowboy poet Sourdough Slim and the gunfighter spectacular serving as opening acts for the celebrated country-western singer.

The Rendezvous opened Friday afternoon with a 'hawk throwing demonstration and shooting by the muzzleloaders.

The Rendezvous is a celebration of Carson's history with farriers and a Civil War encampment. Gunfighters roam Mills Park and there is an Indian village.

The modern-day Rendezvous event recreates the rendezvous from Carson's 19th century pioneer days, when mountain men, Indians and townsfolk gathered in the fledgling town.

The modern farriers will demonstrate their skills with a horseshoe-making contest. They will be judged on speed and accuracy.

This will be the 17th version of the Rendezvous, which was started by the Chamber of Commerce in the mid-'80s to serve as a kickoff to the tourist season.

Today's schedule

9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. - A Grand Procession and Parade beginning at the Capitol going north along Carson Street then east on William Street to Mills Park. Featuring the Wells Fargo stagecoach, Hoofbeats horse-drawn wagon, Mountain Men, Civil War Volunteers and Native Americans.

Main Stage

10 a.m. - Opening ceremonies

11 a.m. - Comstock Cowboys

12:15 p.m. - Capitol City Cloggers

1 p.m. - Sourdough Slim

2 p.m. - Comstock Cowboys

4 p.m. - Lacy J. Dalton concert

6 p.m. - Gunfighter Spectacular (at Gunfighter Stage)

7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. - Comstock Cowboys

7:45 p.m., 8:30 p.m. - Cowboy "Lip Sync"

Civil War Battleground

11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. - Battles and Skirmishes

Farriers Competitions

10 a.m. - Divisions I, II and III, Classes 1, 2 and 3

12:45 p.m. - Divisions I, II and III, Classes 4 and 5

Gunfighters' Stage

11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. - RF&J Stunts

Noon, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. - Virginia City Gunslingers

6 p.m. -Great American Stunt Productions "Spectacular"

Mountain man Encampment

11 a.m. -Military Guns and history

11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. - 'Hawk Throwing Demonstrations

11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Music by Old Kit & Bodie Jack

Noon - Buckskinning Demonstration

1 p.m. -Fire Starting with Flint and Steel, Cooking with a Dutch Oven (Apple Cobbler)

2 p.m. - Loadin' & Shootin' Muzzleloaders

3 p.m. - Trap Setting Demonstration

4 p.m. - 'Hawk Competition

Native American Village

11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. - Wind Spirit Dancers and songs by Gayle Hanson-Johnson

Pueblo de Nevada

Noon, 1:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. - Latin Energy Dancers, Rosella Nunez and Las Estrelitas Dancers