In April, Carson City will rekindle Mark Twain’s Nevada roots with the inaugural Mark Twain Days Festival – a three-day celebration of fun and flapdoodle, Chautauqua and shenanigans, history and hijinks in downtown Carson City and at numerous locations around town. The festival is presented by Carson Tahoe Health.
Samuel Clemens introduced the world to the wit and wisdom of Mark Twain 160 years ago, starting with a dispatch in Virginia City’s Territorial Enterprise titled, “A Letter from Carson City.” He lived in Nevada from 1861-1864. He arrived in Carson City via stagecoach with his brother, Orion, who had been appointed by President Abraham Lincoln to serve as the secretary of the Nevada Territory. The stagecoach ride and other Nevada misadventures were described in Twain’s book, “Roughing It.”
“We are thrilled to be able to celebrate Mark Twain through a variety of events and activities for the entire family,” said Debra Soule, arts and culture program manager at Visit Carson City. “We have so many ideas that this inaugural year is just a glimpse of what may come in the future. The festival is a wonderful opportunity for residents and visitors to join in the fun.”
The celebration is scheduled April 21-23 and events include a costumed “Bowtie Ball;” a VIP train ride on the V&T Railway; musical performances; “Walk in Sam’s Shoes” historical walking tours; Twain exhibits at the Nevada State Museum; and the minting of a Mark Twain medallion; a family picnic with 19th century games; Twain look-alike and costume contests and performances by student writers.
Nevada’s own McAvoy Layne, who has been portraying Twain for more than 40 years, will be at the center of many of the festivities and featured in a humorous performance of, “Becoming Mark Twain: Sam Clemens in Nevada.”
Please visit the website marktwaindays.com for more information on this new annual event. Organizers are fine-tuning the schedule and offering sponsorship opportunities for businesses that want to be involved.
Those who would like to discuss sponsorship options, please contact Tiffany East at East Public Relations, [email protected].
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