With Artown in full swing, the Reno area has numerous diverse events this week. Sparks is hosting its inaugural Folk Fest, while other regional events showcase music, science and art. 

Organist David Brock will perform at “Pipes on the River,” showcasing his talent following appearances at several venues across the U.S. The Holland Project is hosting a modular synth workshop led by Brandon Nguyen, and the Gills Club Shark Exploration program, led by scientist Maggie McClain, aims to inspire young girls to pursue marine biology through hands-on activities.

There are plenty more listings on our calendar. 

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Confirm events with venues before attending in case of schedule changes or cancellations. This Is Reno is not responsible for the accuracy of calendar listings, as we do not write or edit them.

Sponsored events

• Tim Snider & Wolfgang Timber @ OFF THE RAILS Free 3rd Thurs Summer Concerts. OffBeat Fest’s FREE Third Thursday Summer Concert Series rolls back into Locomotion Plaza with Tim Snider & Wolfgang Timber’s live-looping violin-flavored blend of “world-folk fusion.” July 18. Opening support from Silly Little.
• The SpongeBob Musical at Reno Little Theater. This wacky and energetic stage production follows the beloved yellow sponge and his friends in Bikini Bottom as they try to save their underwater home from impending doom. Show dates run through Aug. 11.

Editor’s picks

1. Sparks Folk Fest. Historic Downtown Sparks will set the stage as 39 North Downtown hosts the Inaugural Sparks Folk Fest. This new two-day cultural festival will feature live entertainment on several stages, including arts andcrafts, specialty food, and memory-making family fun.
2. Pipes on the River: Organist David Brock. David Brock maintains an active recital throughout the United States. He recently has appeared at the Washington National Cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Andrew Honolulu, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, LA, and the National City Christian Church, Washington, DC, among others.
3. Modular synth workshop with Brandon Nguyen. Make some noise with The Holland Project. In this workshop, participants will get a crash course introduction to modular synth patching. Instructor Brandon Nguyen will cover all the basic concepts, such as voltage control, oscillators, LFOs, ADSRs and VCAs. Participants will learn what all these things are and how they all work together to make a simple sequence.
4. The Gills Club Shark Exploration. Get ready to explore sharks, nature and the environment in this program designed to inspire passion for marine biology in young girls. Girls will participate in various hands-on activities led by scientist Maggie McClain.
5. Tash Sultana: North America 2024. Experience the 2023 Rolling Stone Global Artist Award-winning musical force that is Tash Sultana. The multi-instrumentalist, producer, singer-songwriter, engineer and entrepreneur’s journey has taken them from busking in the streets of Melbourne, Australia, to selling out world-famous venues like the Red Rocks in minutes.