Fallon tourism director Jane Moon receives state award

Jane Moon is passionate about Fallon and the surrounding history.

As director of tourism and visitor events for Fallon, Moon promotes scores of activities and events for both residents and visitors to the Oasis of Nevada and along the U.S 50 corridor. In only her second year with the city, Moon received an Excellence in Tourism Award, Pony Express Territory from the Nevada Division of Tourism (TravelNevada) for her dedication to the state’s tourism industry at the annual VolunTourism awards dinner in Tonopah.

Moon said the award was presented to her for promoting the community and territory and for working with the state. Other territory winners included Excellence in Tourism Award, Cowboy Country Territory: Kerrie Supanich; Excellence in Tourism Award, Nevada Indian Territory: Michon Eben is involved with Nevada Indian Territory, which promotes cultural tourism throughout the state; Excellence in Tourism Award, Reno-Tahoe Territory: The Carson City Culture and Tourism Authority, formerly the Carson City Visitors Bureau, was recognized for its work to rebrand the community as a destination for outdoor recreation, arts and culture, farm-to-fork dining and special events.

Next year, Moon said Fallon will host the annual conference known as the Rural Roundup.

“This is an opportunity to show our community,” Moon said. “I’m excited for it.”

Moon said Fallon has gained a reputation over the years for the quality events it promotes. She said Rural Rumble, a night of boxing in August at the fairgrounds, has grown to attract, local, regional, state, national and international interest and media coverage. Other events that draw visitors include the Fallon Cantaloupe Festival, entertainment at the Churchill Arts Center, rodeo, youth sports tournaments, Hometown Christmas, Octane Fest and seasonal auto racing and the Fastest Gun Alive: World Championship of Cowboy Fast Draw.

“We have a diversity of events to offer,” Moon said. “We do all of our events quite well.”

Moon said both the FCTA and other agencies and organizations also assist each other to adapt to change and to improve the events including the various stops along U.S. Highway 50 that annually attract thousands of visitors each year.

“Highway 50 is an enormous draw, both for national and international visitors,” he said.

Since she became the city’s director of tourism and visitor events, Moon has visited many sites to learn more about their history; in turn, she’s able to promote them better to visitors. According to Moon, she has learned more about Grimes Pint and Hidden Caves as well as the history behind Sand Mountain.

Moon has become more familiar with Fallon’s agricultural draw from the various events and corn maze at Lattin Farms to the distillery and winery operations at Frey Ranch. She said Churchill County promotes a unique agricultural experience. As with many small communities around Nevada and the West, Moon said the downtown corridor has a historical draw with its downtown fountain and Fallon Theatres, which was added to the Nevada State Register of Historic Places in 2017.

Moon said she loves her role in showing off the Fallon area and the sites along U.S Highway 50. She said every city department works together to make Fallon a destination stop, and she also works with the Churchill County Parks and Recreation to promote their activities.

Two other awards were handed out at the annual Rural Roundup dinner. Don Newman, executive director of the Elko Convention & Visitors Authority, represents rural communities on the Nevada Commission on Tourism, the entity that advises TravelNevada. Newman has served on such committees as the Nevada 150th Anniversary Commission and was instrumental in the state’s acquisition of the Sesquicentennial Saddle, a handcrafted artisan saddle created by J.M. Capriola and on display at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City.

Bob Perchetti, a Tonopah resident and Nevada tourism advocate, was recognized with a special proclamation for his service to the industry and his community. Perchetti, who grew up in Tonopah, helped start Jim Butler Days, Tonopah’s signature event; worked as the director of the Tonopah Convention Center; and served on the Nevada Commission on Tourism, among other achievements.