Local small business owners are the backbone of Nevada. We couldn’t be prouder to celebrate Nevada Day this year knowing it is also a celebration of you – business owners.
This year’s Nevada Day Parade is in honor of a very special and relevant field: economics. The theme is “A State of Economic Diversity”. The purpose is to celebrate the many commercial fields that make Nevada prosper.
Ken Hamilton is the Executive Director of the Nevada Day Parade. He describes the state of Nevada as “one of the most diverse in the union” regarding economics.
On Monday, October 8, Mr. Hamilton was gracious enough to grant us an interview about Nevada Day. During the interview, Hamilton remarked he couldn’t think of a single trade or industry not offered in Nevada. From technology to the Golden Knights to the new Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada is in a period of growth and diversification.
Hamilton also emphasizes the sense of state-wide pride that comes from this day of celebration. Nevada is one of the only states that hosts a celebration of this kind. Therefore, he urges Nevadans to use this time to have fun and to reflect on Nevada pride.
History of Nevada Day
In a YouTube video released by CarsonCityGov on October 5, 2018, Hamilton shares the history and meaning of Nevada Day.
Nevada Day is a celebration of the admission of Nevada into the Union on October 31, 1864. This is the 154th anniversary of that date. It also marks the 80th time the Nevada Day Parade has been held at the state capital, Carson City. 
According to the article, “History: The Real Story Behind Nevada Day,” by Guy Rocha, Nevada Day had a rocky start. Due to a mostly transient population for much of the 19th century, there was little interest in a large celebration. The parade moved to Carson City in 1938. That was when Nevada Day became the popular and highly-attended event it is today. The second Nevada Day attracted 42,000 visitors. Since then, Nevada Day has grown to be the most celebrated state holiday. Thousands of people attend the event every year and it has grown to include dozens of celebrations, including the parade.
Nevada celebrates this day on October 26, 2018, and the parade will be held Saturday, October 27.
This year’s events:
The event begins at 7 a.m. At 8 a.m., weather permitting, there will be a hot air balloon launch. Also starting at 8 a.m. will be the 29th Annual Nevada Day Classic Run/Walk. The parade starts at 10 a.m., signified by a fly-over by military planes from Fallon, Nevada. It will last approximately four hours. 
The 45th Annual World Championship Single Jack Drilling Contest will begin at 11 a.m. The Nevada Day Beard Contest will be held directly following the parade.
Other events include the 34th Annual Chili Feed (starting at noon), the Telegraph Square Block Party (beginning at 3 p.m.), and the Nevada Day Free Concert (beginning at 2 p.m.).
The festivities aren’t confined solely to Saturday. Friday, October 26, will feature the La Ka Lel Be Nevada Day Pow Wow. On Sunday, October 28, the Carson City Symphony will hold a Nevada Day Concert. Finally, on Wednesday, October 31 – Halloween – there will be Trick-or-Treating at the Governor’s Mansion.
Both Friday and Saturday, the Nevada State Railroad Museum and the Nevada State Museum will be offering free admission in honor of the occasion.
Nevada Day holds a special place in the hearts of those of us who live in the Battle Born State. This year, we will be celebrating Nevada, and small businesses, at the Carson City Nevada Day Parade. We’d love to see you there.
For an updated list of activities, visit http://nevadaday.visitcarsoncity.com/