August Family-Friendly Activities in Reno Area

We are sharing August Family-Friendly Activities in Reno, Sparks, and Beyond. If you’re a mom, dad, or caregiver and you’re looking for the ultimate guide to Nevada, Nevada Moms is the spot.

We are the #1 family guide to Nevada experiences and activities. From upcoming events, kid-friendly activities, local businesses to check out, and more – you don’t want to miss it.

By local moms for local families.

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ONGOING ACTIVITIES IN OUR AREA

Northern Nevada has something to offer year-round!  You can check out any of these family-friendly activities on the days you aren’t looking for a specific event to attend:

• The Complete List of Farmers’ Markets in Reno, Sparks, Carson City
• Indoor Activities in Northern Nevada
• Best Parks in Reno, Sparks, and Carson City
• Free Storytime Locations

Looking for local discounts for Nevada Moms readers to enjoy? Check all of our active offers and promo codes over here.

AUGUST FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN RENO

DRAGON LIGHTS RENO

Date: July 1 – August 12, 2022

Location: Rancho San Rafael Regional Park

Dragon Lights Reno will once again illuminate the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in Rancho San Rafael Park with all new lantern displays.

Forty-two larger-than-life lantern sculptures, made of steel, fabric and thousands of LED lights, will transform the arboretum into an illuminous wonderland during mid-summer nights. This immersive walk-through experience will entertain and thrill people of all ages.

Make sure to get your tickets ahead of time. General Admission (Age 12+): $20, Child (Age 3-11): $15, Infant (Under 3): FREE, Family 4 Pack: $55 (2 General Admission & 2 Child tickets), Season Pass: $55 (unlimited entry for 1 person during the festival season).

FEED THE CAMEL

Date: Every Wednesday June 1 – September 14, 5pm-8:30pm

Location: Mckinley Arts Center

Reno’s “best-kept secret” food truck event is taking over the McKinley Arts and Culture Center for the eighth year!! Happening EVERY Wednesday in the summer, Feed The Camel presents the best food trucks throughout the Truckee Meadows. Grab the kids, a blanket, and meet us “under the Keystone bridge” for your favorite food truck eats, local beer, and a chill evening.

RIVERSIDE FARMERS MARKET

Date: August 4, 11, 18, 25

Location: McKinley Arts Center

Enjoy Reno’s year-round farmers market! Fresh local food, vendors, and more!

alists, clips from iconic Disney movies including Frozen, Beauty & the Beast, The Lion King and more, and some of the best known film music in cinematic history. We invite you to be enchanted with this full-length concert and enjoy your favorite Disney songs in a whole new way

MIDTOWN RENO FIRST THURSDAY

Date: August 4th, 2022

Location: Midtown Reno, NV.

Join in the MidTown Holiday Festivities every 1st Thursday of the month!

Be sure to treat yourself to a day at your favorite MidTown retailers, services, bars, and restaurants. Our local businesses plan exciting in-store events including food and beverage tastings, local art exhibits, live music, and more.

Each merchant creatively plans their own event so check each listing for individual hours and details at

GALENA CAMPFIRE PROGRAM SERIES

Date: August 5, 2022 at 8:30 P.M

Location: Galena Creek Regional Park,  18250 Mt. Rose Highway

Join Washoe County Regional Parks and Open Space for a fun family program around the campfire! Each week will feature a different presenter for kids of all ages to enjoy!

The campfire will be lit each week at 8:00 P.M. for marshmallows and s’mores, generously provided by the Library Tap House! Bring the family out early for a picnic!

Eagle Meadow is located inside the north entrance to Galena Creek Regional Park at 18250 Mt. Rose Highway (Galena Creek Visitor Center entrance). The programs are free, but a $4/person donation is requested to help us fund the program.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY

Date: Every Friday starting June 10 – August 26, 2022, 4pm-9pm

Location: 1800 Idlewild Dr, Idlewild Park Reno, NV 89509

Bring the family down for Food Truck Friday at Idlewild Park, Reno.  Over 45 food, dessert, craft beer, wine, and spirits vendors. Live Music.  Bring a picnic blanket or chairs to enjoy on the grass.

STAR PARTY & TELESCOPE VIEWING

Date: August 6, 2022 from 8pm-10pm

Location: Washoe Lake State Park. 4855 Eastlake Blvd., Washoe Valley, NV 89704.

The Northern Nevada Astronomy Group will set up telescopes for viewing stars, planets, and other wonders of the night sky. They will begin with a short presentation as it gets dark. Participants should bring a light jacket and a lawn chair. Please bring a red flashlight if possible, as red light does not negatively affect night vision.

FAMILY DAY AT BUNDOX BOCCE

Date: Every Sunday from 12pm-4pm

Location: Bundox Bocce

Bring the family for FREE bocce play every Sunday from noon to 4pm. Check their website for date exclusions and closures.

Pack Picnics on the Quad

Date: August 10, from 6-8pm

Location: UNR Quad

All are welcome to these free, family-friendly events to enjoy music, popcorn, cookies, lemonade, face painting and a bounce house each Wednesday from July 6 – August 10 from 6-8 p.m.  Just don’t forget your picnic!

CONCERTS ON THE LAWN

Date: August 10, 17, & 24, 5:30-830pm and 7, 14, 21, and 28th from 1-4pm

Location: The Village at Rancharrah

Enjoy music with your family select wednesday events in August.

BACK TO SCHOOL MOVIE NIGHT

Date: August 12, 2022 @7:30 (movie starts at 8:30)

Location: Huffaker Park

This is a night for families to enjoy the park in the community, with the community, as we watch the movie Encanto together, finish out the summer, and ring in the new school year!

There will be popcorn, candy and drinks for FREE!! There will also be Urban Grinders Coffee Truck for purchase.

WCSD BACK TO SCHOOL EXPO

Date: August 13, 2022 from 10am-2pm

Location: Reno Town Mall

Join us at the new location of the annual WCSD Back to School Expo.

At this free event, families can learn more about transportation, school meals, school services, and other topics to get ready for the new school year. Families can also complete the online registration. There will be school supply giveaways and job recruitment.

HANDS ON! SECOND SATURDAY

Date: August 13th, 2022  (Second Saturday of each month), 10am – 4pm

Location: Nevada Museum of Art, 160 West Liberty, Reno, Nevada 89501

This monthly event is free for the community and is fun for the entire family.  Enjoy hands-on art activities, a tour of the museum, live performances, and more.  Head to nevadaart.org To find a full schedule and upcoming themes for Hands ON! Second Saturday.

RENO ACES BASEBALL 

Date: August 16-21, August 30-31

Location: Greater Nevada Field

Take the family out to the Reno Aces baseball game!  Enjoy the game, good food, and the fireworks after every Friday home game!

FAMILY FILM NIGHT ON THE FARM

Date: August 19, 2022 7pm-10pm

Location: Urban Roots

Bring the whole family for an amazing, summer night out underneath the Reno-Tahoe stars! You’re invited to join us on August 19th  from 7 to 10 p.m. at Urban Roots for Movie Night on the Farm.

Lay out your blankets and set up those chairs as we gather around with the kiddos to watch the feature, Biggest Little Farm.

Enjoy a bouquet-making class, seedling planting for the kids, food trucks, and live music to make it something special for the whole entire family.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for the kids!

BACK TO THE FUTURE MOVIE NIGHT

Date: Aug 20, 2022

Location: National Automobile Museum

The National Automobile Museum invites you to watch Back to the Future under the stars on our new riverside patio! The event is free. Registration is required. Bring blankets and folding chairs to get comfortable as you watch this family-favorite on our outdoor screen. Gates open at 7:30 pm. Movie starts at 8:30 pm.

RENO OUTDOOR MARKETPLACE

Date: August 20th from 10am-10pm

Location: Reno Events Center

Come enjoy indoors.  Vendors, food trucks, drinks, bounce house, and live music.

RENO ALOHA FESTIVAL 

Date: August 20, 2022

Location: Wingfield Park

Reno Aloha Festival August 20th, 2022 10am-7pm. Watch Beautiful Performances all day, Eat Ono Grindz (FOOD) Featuring Island & Local arts & Crafts Vendors, Cultural Workshops, Hawaiian Shave Ice and MORE. Alcohol and Drug-Free Family Friendly Event. FREE ADMISSION ALWAYS!

FAMILY DAY AT THE VILLAGE

Date: August 28 from 12-4

Location: The Village at Rancharrah

Live music, crafts, and activities.

SPARKS

SUNFLOWER FESTIVAL

Date: August 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20

Location: Andelin Family Farm

The Sunflower Festival Admission ticket includes a wagon ride to the sunflower field, visiting and seeing the farm animals, the kitten barn, barrel train ride, hamster wheel, straw bale maze, mini zips, big slide, duck race activity, and other barnyard activities and access to the sunflower field.

The Sunflower field is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays too but admission is offered to only the sunflower field.

LAZY 5 SUMMER MUSIC SERIES

Date: August 10 & 17th  @6:30pm

Location: Lazy 5 Regional Park, Sparks, NV

Enjoy music at the park during the summer music series!  Bring a chair or some blankets.  Pack a picnic or there is usually 1-2 food trucks and a beverage truck there too!

MOVIE NIGHT ON THE GREEN 

Date: August 25th, 2022

Location: Red Hawk Golf and Resort

This is a FREE event and takes place right by the 18th hole of the Lakes Course.  Bring a blanket or low back chairs and enjoy with the family.

3RD THURSDAYS

Date: July 23rd from 4-9pm (third Thursday of every month)

Location: Victorian Square

This includes good food, cold drinks, live entertainment, crafts, chef demos, movies on the big screen, and all the art you can handle! Downtown Sparks is the place to be this and every 3rd Thursday of the month, all year round!

CARSON CITY

SWAN LAKE

Date: August 6th, 2022

Location: Carson City Community Center

This full-length dramatic love story with roots in reality as well as fantasy tests the character of the hero, Prince Sigfried, as he matures into manhood. An avid hunter, Sigfried encounters Odette, the Princess turned into a Swan by evil sorcery, and his life is altered forever. The ballet traces the struggle of Sigfried through a series of exciting encounters ending dramatically in a fierce battle.

A timeless story filled with drama, sorcery, seduction, bravery and devotion with a strong message, Swan Lake is one of the earliest ballets and highlights the human struggle between the pure love of the soul and the seductive attraction of worldly life.

SATURDAY NIGHT STAR PARTIES

Date: 2nd and 4th Saturday

Location: Jack C Davis Observatory

The Jack C Davis Observatory hosts free star parties on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month year-round, starting at 7:30 p.m. For more information, please contact Mike Thomas at mnethomas@sbcglobal.net or Dr. Tom Herring at Thomas.Herring@wnc.edu.

VIRGINIA CITY

ART ON THE COMSTOCK

Date: August 6 & 7

Location: Virginia City

Art Walk on the Comstock is back for its 3rd year in historic Virginia City. The once boom town bustles once again and there’s still plenty of treasure to be found on the Comstock.

In the parking lot of the Silverland Inn & Suites, hundreds of works of art can be seen.

Live music will be playing during all show hours, fresh food served on site.

TAHOE

LAKE TAHOE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

Date:  July 8 – August 21, 2022

Location: Sand Harbor State Park

Enjoy two productions this season Much Ado About Nothing and Mama Mia! Get your tickets ahead of time.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN

What August family-friendly activities in Reno are you looking forward to attending with your family this month?

Have travel plans to the Las Vegas area? Check out upcoming events in Southern Nevada for the month of August