Fourth of July events

Celebration continues

RSVP's annual Fourth of July celebration runs through Wednesday.

All-day-ride passes cost $25. A $5 coupon is available at www.nevadaruralrsvp.org or clipped from the Nevada Appeal.

The fair opens at 4 p.m. today, and 11 a.m. Wednesday. The fair closes each night at 11 p.m. The event concludes with a fireworks show at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday.

More than 20 rides, games and attractions will be available for fairgoers.

Proceeds from the fair go toward RSVP's Home Companion, Respite Care and Transportation Programs, which help local low-income seniors remain living independently in their own homes. For more information or to learn about volunteering, call Tannis Causey at (775) 687-4680, Ext. 21.

Songs, barbecue and fireworks

Carson City's patriotic song circle will begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Rafter PM Ranch, 5000 Hells Bells Road. Enter where the U.S. flags -are, or park on the street right outside that entrance. Barbecue will take place between 7:30 and 9 p.m. on the patio of the ranch. Bring a folding chair to watch the fireworks. Bring a salad, side dish, or dessert and beverage. Host Michael Bell will provide the meat.

Firecracker Fun Run

A Firecracker Fun Run with a 2-mile and 10K race will begin at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Korean War Veterans Memorial Park.

The course is described as hot, flat and fast. The 2-mile race is $25, and $30 on race day; the 10K costs $35, and $40 race day. Proceeds will benefit Capital Soccer Club. Discounts are available for families of three or more and for cross-country and track athletes. Awards will be given for the top three finishers in each age division.

Register at Ascent Physical Therapy, 3246 N. Carson St., Suite 120, or online at www.capsoccer.net.

Chili Cook-off returns

The annual Carson City Chili Cook-off and Craft Fair returns to Glen Eagles Restaurant on Saturday and Sunday.

The High Sierra Regional Chili Cook-off will take place Saturday, and the Nevada Capital Regional Chili Cook-off will take place Sunday.

The events run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Sales of chili tasting kits and raffle tickets will benefit Soroptimist International of Carson City.

The Joseph Greco and the Tributes band will be playing country classics both days. The craft fair will include items for sale including food, wine, candles, jewelry, clothing and accessories. New this year will be a dunk tank. Special guest dunkees will include Sheriff Ken Furlong.

Individuals, businesses and organizations wanting to compete for the title of "People's Choice of Carson City" still can enter. There is no entry fee and you may choose to cook one or both days. The recipe must contain beans, and entries must be received by July 1.

Craft booths also are available for $30 for the weekend, plus the donation of one raffle prize each day.

For further information on participation at the cookoff, contact Bob Grayson at 775-882-6878. For craft fair information, call Kim at Glen Eagles at 775-884-4414.

Ribmaster Rumble coming to Station

Best Western Carson Station Hotel/Casino and Carson City Harley-Davidson will host the first Ribmaster Rumble Friday through Sunday in the parking lot of Carson Station, 900 S. Carson St.

The region's best catering groups will compete side-by-side to see who will earn the title of "Ribmaster." Rib lovers will help choose the winner based on the tastiest sauce and most tender meat.

Carson Station also will have live music by Lady & The Tramps. There also will be kids' games and monster truck demonstrations. Monster truck shows featuring the Air Bourne Ranger Monster Truck, sponsored by Capital Beverages, will take place at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.

For the kids, Harley-Davidson is sponsoring a remote-control-car track. Kids of all ages can try their hand at driving a remote-control race car on a 20- by 30-foot track for a small fee. Each race lasts about 3 minutes, with six drivers taking part in each race.

Admission is free to the Ribmaster Rumble, and rib sampler plates start at $6.

The event will run from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, with an awards presentation at 2 p.m.

Virginia City

Virginia City will host thousands of visitors who will enjoy this annual Independence Day tradition on the Comstock. The day will be filled with lots of family-friendly activities, including:

• Fourth of July Parade, beginning at noon.

• Live music on the boardwalk by Uncle Sam, portrayed by the Banjo Guy, Larry Elliott.

• Stagecoach rides on the TNT Stagelines.

• Train rides to Gold Hill on the V&T Railroad.

• "Red, White & You" Wine Walk (1 to 7 p.m.) with dozens of C St. merchants.

• Free Second Amendment Concert at 6 p.m. by the Comstock Cowboys in the Delta Saloon Parking lot

• Fireworks show at dusk by Lantis Fireworks Company of Utah.

For more information, go to www.nvshows.com.

Douglas County

Glenwood Drive residents are hosting their annual Independence Day parade at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Gardnerville Ranchos. This is their seventh neighborhood parade and is open to anyone who wants to participate. Staging begins at 11 a.m. at the north end of the street.

The Carson Valley Pops Orchestra kicks off the Minden celebration at 12:30 p.m.

Before the performance, the community is invited to decorate their bikes, trikes or scooters for a Patriotic Park parade at 11:30 a.m. All decorating supplies are provided. There will also be free bounce houses, water fun and apple pie. Food and drinks are available for purchase from Minden Meat and Deli.

The Reno Philharmonic will perform for the 29th year at Mormon Station State Historic Park at 4:30 p.m. Festivities begin at 1 p.m. with music, auctions and children's activities. There will be an instrument petting zoo with string instruments. Children can get hands on with them, or just listen to them being played. Reno Philharmonic Conductor Jason Altieri is offering free kazoo lessons for children, after which they will perform a short concert. Doc-O and Squeeky the clowns are doing face-painting and balloon sculptures. The Chorus of the Comstock barbershop group and John O'Neil's strolling violinists will also perform.

Visitors can bid on many silent auction items, or enter the chance-to-conduct drawing, in which the winner has the opportunity to conduct one piece during the Reno Philharmonic performance.

Across from the park, the Genoa Volunteer Fire Department is having its chicken barbecue for $12.

Lake Tahoe

"Now we can look at fireworks without your butt hurting at the end of the day."

Those were the words of El Dorado County Supervisor Norma Santiago, who spoke last week at the ceremonial opening of Lakeview Commons at El Dorado Beach.

The $6 million remodel of the park include amphitheater-style seating with of views of Lake Tahoe and the Lights of the Lake Fireworks show, which begin at 9:45 p.m. Wednesday.

"It was just a bunch of rocks; now it's perfect," said South Lake Tahoe resident Phoenix Hunter. "When the fireworks show was over, it was a stampede with all the kids coming back up the rocks."

Other great places to watch the fireworks are from aboard the paddlewheelers Tahoe Queen and M.S. Dixie II, Nevada Beach off Elk Point Road in Round Hill, Timber Cove Marina and Bijou Community Park in South Lake Tahoe, Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course at Stateline, and the Tallac Historic Site off Emerald Bay Road.

• Fireworks will take place at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at Incline Beach.

• Kings Beach will have fireworks at 9:30 tonight.

• Tahoe City celebrates 66 years of fireworks at Commons Beach at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

• The Record-Courier's Caryn Haller, The Sierra Sun and Lake Tahoe Action contributed to this report.