Arts & Entertainment Briefs

Eureka Opera House

The Eureka Opera House presents Cody Bryant with the Riders of the Purple Sage on Aug. 23 at 7 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at the door: Adults $7, seniors $5 and children 15 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. For information, call the Eureka Opera House at 775-237-6006

Unforgettable melodies, tight harmonies, red-hot musicianship and a fast paced show are trademarks of the riders of the Riders of the Purple Sage. They’ve redefined classic western movie music for a new generation of music fans.

Under the leadership of Foy Willing in the 1940s and Cody Bryant today, they still go their own musical way with a sound that is uniquely their own. With deep roots in many American folk styles, they blend elements of the classic sound of Roy Rodgers and the Sons of the Pioneers with bluegrass, Cajun, and Bob Willis –style western swing into their own unique musical vision.

While the Riders of the Purple Sage draw on their rich history, theirs is not a nostalgia show. Their musical vision looks the future straight in the eye, with an energetic, driving delivery, and fresh new material that make them crossover crowd pleasers, delighting newcomers as well as their legion of long-time fans.

Rising Sun Gallery

The Rising Sun Gallery and Art Studios on Maine Street presents the first public exhibition of Marshall Kary’s Series of collages based on the “Jim Crow” era of our Country’s history.

Who or what is Jim Crow? Was he a man or simply a symbol?

According to Ferris State University, “Throughout the 1830s and ‘40s, the white entertainer Thomas Dartmouth Rice (1808-1860) performed a popular song and dance act supposedly modeled after a slave. He named the character Jim Crow.

At the end of the Civil War (1861-1865) and during the period of Reconstruction (1865-1877), a number of laws were enacted to ‘upgrade the rights of the Freedmen’ that mostly remained in effect until the Civil Rights Movements of the 1960s. Although it is not exactly clear how, but the minstrel character’s name of Jim Crow became a kind of shorthand identifying those laws.

In 2005, while going through a box of old mementos, Kary ran across a ticket stub, from a movie theatre in Broken Bow, Okla. The force of the flashback to the experience that stub represented and others was such that he felt compelled to do something graphic.

The Gallery is open Monday-Saturday from 1 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information on this or other events or art classes, call Patricia at 775-294-4135 or at facebook.com/risingsunartgallery.

Wally’s World

The Comstock History Center presents Wally’s World: The Loneliest Art Collection in Nevada, featuring 35 pieces of art from Wally Cuchine’s collection.

Known for his unflagging commitment to and support of artists, as well as his unswerving faith that the art and artists of Nevada are a valuable resource, Cuchine has acquired an unparalleled personal collection of Nevada art. The exhibit is named for Nevada’s Highway 50, known as “The Loneliest Road in America.”

Cuchine is a resident of Eureka, a midway point on the “loneliest road,” where he was director of the Eureka Opera House, a venue that consistently presents Northern Nevadans and visitors with first-class entertainment and art.

WHAT: Wally’s World: The Loneliest Art Collection in Nevada, art exhibit

WHEN: Through Aug. 18. Museum hours are Thursday-Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Comstock History Center – 20 North E Street, Virginia City, Nevada

COST: The exhibit is free and open to the public.

CONTACT: Jeff Wood at 775-847-0419

MORE INFORMATION: Exhibit artists include Ron Arthaud, Lyle V. Ball, Cherlyn Bennett, Ralph Bennett, Max Bunnell, Thelma Calhoun, Robert Cole Caples, Mary Chadwell, Diane Dunn, Mary Lee Fulkerson, Ruth Hilts, Larry Jacox, James Lawrence, Jean Legassick, Laverne Lightfoot, Gary Link, Barbara Maclean, Sharon Maczko, Jack Malotte, Jim McCormick, Marilyn R. Melton, Jeff Nicholson, Ron Oden, Dennis Parks, Mimi Patrick, Nancy Peppin, Brent Perkins, Roy Powers, Barbara Prodaniuk, Shirley Shaft, Annabelle Shelly, Craig Sheppard, Sidne Teske, Wally Wallace and Larry Williamson.

Spooner Lake stargazing

Enjoy a laser-guided tour of starry wonders with professional stargazer, Gigi Giles on Aug. 24 at Spooner Lake State Park. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring a light jacket and flashlight.

The attendance of young children and pets is not recommended. Park entrance fees are waived for the event.

Delight in a unique and educational experience as you peer through high-powered telescopes and astronomical binoculars in the tranquil mountain air at elevation 7,000 feet with a professional guide.

WHEN: Saturday, August 24, from 8:30-10 p.m.

WHERE: Meet at Spooner Lake Park’s upper parking lot. The park is located near the

intersection of Highways 50 and 28; from the intersection, travel a ½ mile north on

Highway 28 to the Spooner Lake Park’s entrance.

WHO: The event is open to the public but is not recommended for young children.

August events at Fort Churchill

Fort Churchill State Historic Park is offering a variety of events during August, including a night hike, Chautauqua at Buckland Station and a full moon hike. Programs are free, but there is $7 per-vehicle entrance fee; Nevada residents receive a $2 discount. Tours of nearby Buckland Station are $1 per person; children 12 and under are free. Cash and checks are accepted; no credit cards. Contact Kim Clawson at 775-577-4880 or at bucklandstation@hotmail.com for more information on these events.

Aug. 21: Full Moon Hike

Explore Fort Churchill’s ruins in full moonlight. On this 0.6 mile long hike, discover what life was like for the soldiers stationed at the fort in the 1860s. Participants should bring water, good shoes, warm clothes and insect repellent. Flashlights are recommended. Dogs are not permitted.

A WNC space photography

A fascinating and colorful exhibition of space photography is on display at the Western Nevada College Main Art Gallery through Aug. 23.

The collection contains several dozen large photographs of Earth’s moon, planets in our Solar System and their moons, and colorful nebulae.

A photograph of the observatory under the night sky, taken over a 40-minute duration, offers a fascinating look at the movement of stars in the night sky.

The 2-foot long images are the creations of John Dykes, a Western Nevada Astronomical Society Member and Jack C. Davis Observatory volunteer. His works are printed on thin metal plates that enhance the brilliant colors. Copies of the photographs may also be ordered with the proceeds to help support the observatory.

The gallery is located in the Bristlecone Building on the Carson City campus.

Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Nugget Rib Cook-off

The 25th annual Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off will run Wednesday, Aug. 28, through Monday, Sept. 2. This must-attend culinary, barbecue, music and craft festival is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday. Admission is free!

More than 500,000 visitors and 233,400 pounds of ribs were served in 2012. The wide variety of activities within the event, including the Nugget World Rib Eating Championship, a carnival area with rides and activities, and top-notch entertainment — not to mention the best BBQ in the country — all come together to draw thousands of people to Victorian Square every extended Labor Day weekend.

Camel races

The 54th annual International Camel Races take place in historic Virginia City for a race unlike any other. Jockeys compete at this popular event on both camels and ostriches in races that not only challenge speed, but pure luck.

For more than 50 years, tens of thousands of spectators and jockeys from around the globe come to witness and ride at this tradition amid the historic landmark.

Event Times:

Friday, Sept. 6—10 a.m. gates open, 12 p.m. Media Day races
Saturday, Sept. 7—10 a.m. gates open, 12 p.m. races start

Sunday, Sept. 8—10 a.m. gates open, 12 p.m. races start

General Admission Tickets: Adults $12 Friday or Sunday; $15 Saturday; Premium Seating $15 Friday or Sunday; $18 Saturday;

Kids 4 and under, Free; Family pack, includes four tickets, $40 Friday or Sunday; $50 Saturday