UPDATE:
Nevada State Parks and Division of Outdoor Recreation have made the difficult decision to postpone the inaugural Cosmos in the Desert Dark Skies Festival, originally scheduled for this Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Lahontan State Recreation Area, due to an unfavorable weather forecast.
The safety and overall experience of our attendees, partners, and staff remain our highest priorities. After carefully monitoring the forecast and evaluating conditions on site, it became clear that postponing was the most responsible and thoughtful course of action.
“We were all looking forward to a night of celebration under Nevada’s incredible dark skies,” said Tyler Kerver, Education and Information Officer “This was not an easy decision to make, but our goal is to deliver a truly stellar event. Postponing allows us to ensure that Cosmos in the Desert will be the best it can possibly be.”
The festival will be rescheduled for Fall 2025, with the new date to be announced soon. All planned activities — including telescope viewing, glow stick costume contest, themed food and drinks, wildlife walks, and astronomy education — will still be part of the event.
Attendees are encouraged to stay connected through Nevada State Parks’ website and social media channels for updates on the new event date and details. Those that were planning on camping this weekend are still encouraged to check out the park, pack accordingly.
"We appreciate the public’s understanding and continued enthusiasm. The stars will still be waiting for us — and when the skies clear, we’ll be ready."
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ORIGINAL STORY: The Nevada Division of State Parks and the Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation invite the public the first Cosmos in the Desert: Northern Nevada’s Dark Skies Festival.
The event will take place from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday at Beach 3 within Lahontan State Recreation Area in Silver Springs. Cosmos in the Desert offers guided experiences, stargazing and activities.
Featured activities Include:
• Telescope viewing with the Astronomical Society of Nevada and Western Nevada Astronomical Club
• Astrophotography demonstration hosted by Carson City Parks, Recreation & Open Space
• Night sky interpretation by Thomas Herring of Western Nevada College
• Guided sunset kayak tour, starting at 7 p.m. Ten kayaks are available or bring your own. Personal floatation devices are required.
• Nocturnal wildlife walks with the Nevada Department of Wildlife
• Glow stick costume contest and prizes
To preserve dark-sky conditions, white lights will not be permitted. A flashlight conversion booth will be available at check-in to help attendees switch to red light. Entry fee is $5 per vehicle for Nevada residents and $10 for non-Nevada residents.
For information and the full event lineup, go to parks.nv.gov/events.