More to do than Rendezvous

The biggest thing going on in Capital City entertainment this weekend is the 20th annual Carson City Rendezvous at Mills Park. This event is always a hit with the kids. Who can say "no" to mountain men in buckskins, Civil War re-enactments with real cannons, camel rides and Indian tacos? Not me -- I'll be there. But there's a lot more going on this weekend. Here are some details on a few other events.

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As part of the free Programs on the Porch series at Bowers Mansion, Tumbleweed Tex will present "True Lies of the Old West" at 7:30 p.m. Friday Tex is a performer from Reno who refuses to list his real name. His program includes trick roping, a history of cattle brands, yodeling and question and answers.

"It's such a fun series," said Bambi Fehling, public information officer for Washoe Country Parks and Recreation. She said there was some concern as to whether the series would happen because of budget cuts.

Luckily, the Nevada Humanities Council and National Endowment for the Humanities provided funding to help keep the series going.

"That definitely helped us out quite a bit," Fehling said.

Ranger Jerry Buzzard will help staff the mansion Friday. Next up is Juanita Westbrook doing "Storytelling From Around the World" on June 20. For details call Washoe Country Parks and Recreation at 828-6642.

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Lois Flanders gave me some details on today's meeting of the Carson City Natives and Newcomers group. They'll gather for a lunch buffet upstairs in the Carson Nugget at 11:30 a.m.

Marilyn Brandvord will be the guest speaker.

"She'll be speaking on literacy, said Flanders.

Flanders said she expects about 25 people to show up for the buffet, which costs $13.50.

The Natives and Newcomers is a strictly charitable organization, she said. For the most part, members save money and make donations at the end of the year. They support the Carson City Sheriff's Department's Search and Rescue, give scholarship money to Western Nevada Community College, and do a big Christmas charity for needy families, she said.

Flanders has lived in Carson for 13 years and been a member of the Natives and Newcomers for 10.

The group has regular meetings, like today's, once a month.

"But we have socials, too," said Flanders. "We have a canasta club and a book club."

She said rather than all reading the same book and talking about it, book club members each read different books and talk about those. Flanders, a book club member, just finished "Taste of Honey" by Eileen Goudge

"I liked the book," she said. "I like Nora Roberts, too."

For information on the Natives and Newcomers group or today's meeting, call Flanders at 882-3512.

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And if you're in the mood for high-caliber performance art with top-of-the-line musical accompaniment, don't forget the Western Nevada Musical Theatre Company's "West Side Story." The show is performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St. Musicians from the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra were called in to help handle Leonard Bernstein's score. Admission is $16 general, $14 students and seniors, $8 age 17 and younger, $4 age 4 and under. Call 445-3238.

Call Karl Horeis at 881-1219.