Nevada Archives : TRAVEL/FOOD

The Brewery Arts Center and Visit Carson City invite travelers and northern Nevadans to attend the second annual , beginning Friday, May 10 through Sunday, May 12, 2024. Events will take place in Downtown Carson City, Nevada and Virginia City, Nevada, and will celebrate one of America’s most prolific, wise—and wise-cracking—writers, Mark Twain. A complete schedule of events and activities is available at MarkTwainDays.com.

Although Samual Clemens was born in 1835 in Missouri, he took the name Mark Twain while living in Carson City and Virginia City in the early 1860s. This is why many people claim Nevada as the true birthplace of the literary legend.

In recognition of Mark Twain’s lasting contributions to Nevada and American culture, the 2024 Mark Twain Days Festival will feature several events, including:

McAvoy Layne Appearances – Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11

McAvoy Layne, the beloved “Ghost of Mark Twain,” will appear as a special guest speaker for activities at the Brewery Arts Center on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.

Twain Train VIP Rail Excursion – 2:30 p.m., Friday, May 10

Departing from the Eastgate Depot in Carson City, passengers will embark on a 24-mile round-trip ride to Virginia City where they can experience Mark Twain events. Tickets start at $125 per person and are on sale at MarkTwainDays.com.

Free Museum Day – Saturday, May 11

Visitors and community members are welcome to enjoy free admission for a day at the Nevada State Museum, the Nevada State Railroad Museum, the Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada, and free tours of the Nevada Capitol Building.

Carson City Ghost Walk, Featuring: The Fabulists – 10-11:30 a.m., Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12

Join the Carson City Ghost Walk for a 90-minute tour to learn about the lives of the Victorian era’s saucy writers, brazen entertainers, and cheeky neighbors who shaped the young Nevada territory during the time of Mark Twain. Tours begin at the Bob McFadden Plaza and end at The Brewery Arts Center. Tickets purchased in advance are $25 per person, or $30 if purchased the day of, and are on sale at CarsonCityGhostWalk.com.

The 2024 Bow Tie Ball – 6-9 p.m., Saturday, May 11

Dance the night away at the Nevada State Museum during the second annual Bow Tie Ball, an 1860s-themed party featuring live music, performances, drinks, food, and a scavenger hunt. Tickets are $100 per person and are on sale at BreweryArts.org/2024bowtieball.

“The Mark Twain Days Festival offers incredible experiences for visitors to dive into the cultural and historical legacy of Mark Twain,” said Dave Peterson, executive director of Visit Carson City. “The Visit Carson City team is thrilled to partner with the Brewery Arts Center and the Virginia City Tourism Commission to coordinate this unforgettable celebration for people of all ages to enjoy.”

Twain wrote about his time in Nevada in his book, “Roughing It” in which he stated, “I only proposed to stay in Nevada three months—I had no thought of staying longer than that… I little thought that I would not see the end of that three-month pleasure excursion for six or seven uncommonly long years!”

Visitors may book their stay for the Mark Twain Days Festival at VisitCarsonCity.com/stay. For those looking to extend their visit—in true Mark Twain style—itineraries, day trips, and several attractions in Carson City are available to explore at VisitCarsonCity.com.

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Presented by Visit Carson City and the Brewery Arts Center, the second annual Mark Twain Days Festival will celebrate the tremendous legacy of the prolific American writer and humorist, Mark Twain, beginning Friday, May 10 – Sunday, May 12, 2024. Events are happening in Downtown Carson City and Virginia City.

About Visit Carson City:

Carson City is where history lives and adventure awaits. Carson City boasts an array of outdoor adventures, restaurants, golf courses, historical attractions, museums, gaming opportunities, and a plethora of events and entertainment. Visitors will find plenty of exciting activities and experiences to choose from. In the heart of the action, Carson City is nestled just minutes from the legendary Lake Tahoe, electrifying Reno, historic Virginia City and the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range. For more information, go to Visit Carson City’s website at visitcarsoncity.com.

About Brewery Arts Center

Brewery Arts Center is housed by two historic buildings and encompasses two city blocks on the historic West Side of Nevada’s Capital, Carson City. BAC boasts a FREE outdoor summer concert series, the 150 seat Maizie theater, a 250 seat Performance Hall, an Exhibition Hall, a Grand Ballroom, and an Artisan Store, as well as an educational wing featuring painting, pottery, and multipurpose studios. Each space on the campus delivers multi-generational and multi-cultural art experiences and opportunities for personal and community growth through entertainment, education, and enrichment.

Love the idea of an ice cream road trip? Then why not join Drumstick in celebrating its 95^th anniversary and get the chance to win a new road trip vehicle. How easy is it to win? Grab your car keys and head out on the open road, traveling to all 11 stops on The Great Drumstick Summer Road Trip. Those completing the quest get the chance to win and customize a Drumstick vehicle of their dreams.

Didn’t know you had a Drumstick vehicle of your dreams? You will after considering such options as a cobalt blue exterior or interior lighting, a motorcycle with a sidecar that doubles as a freezer, or a glove compartment that keeps Lil Drums cold and within reach?

Drumstick will hook you up with the ability to build your vehicle to accommodate your next adventures with Drumstick handy.

THE STOPS INCLUDE:

Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York – Get your cone on
Plains, Georgia – “Smiling Peanut” statue – We love our peanuts
Warren, Ohio – World’s Largest Drumsticks
St. Louis, Missouri – Forest Park, the site of the 1904 World’s Fair – A lot debuted at the 1904 fair. X-rays, fax machines… and the ice cream cone
Durant, Oklahoma – World’s Largest Peanut Sign
Fort Worth, Texas – The Stockyards – In honor of the birthplace of Drumstick
New Salem, North Dakota – Salem Sue – It’s a chance to meet the World’s Largest Holstein Cow.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah – Celebrating 100 years.

Las Vegas, Nevada – World’s Largest Chocolate Fountain at the Bellagio– Keep the chocolatey times flowing

Los Angeles, California – Chicken Boy Statue – Did you know Drumstick was named after a chicken leg? Oh, you did? Ok.
Oakland, California – Drumstick HQ – Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream

A LITTLE HISTORY PLEASE

According to Ohio State University, the ice cream drumstick (not to be confused with the chicken drumstick) was invented by brothers I.C. and J.T. (Stubby) Parker of the Drumstick Company of Fort Worth, Texas, in 1928. The Parkers wanted to provide prepackaged ice cream cones but found that the cones became too soggy before they could be shipped to sellers. To solve their problem, they reached out to Ohio State food scientists who quickly came up with the idea of coating the cone in chocolate – and the drumstick (so named because someone thought it looked like a fried chicken leg) was born. Subsequent innovations included adding chocolate to the inside rather than the outside of the cone.

Although Ohio State was not paid for the original work on the drumstick, Tom Parker, Stubby’s son and I.C.’s nephew became a longtime supporter of the university. The Parker Food Science and Technology Building is named in the family’s honor.

Flash forward to modern times. The Drumstick now comes in a variety of flavors and sizes—caramel, vanilla, chocolate, vanilla fudge, banana split…well, you get the idea. As for sizes, think classic, king size, mini drums and lil’ drums. And for those who don’t like or can’t have nuts, peanut-less Drumsticks.

HOW THE ROAD TRIP WORKS

Join one of Drumstick’s biggest fans, Dr. Umstick, as he reveals his personal ultimate summer road trip, the Drumstick Road Trip.
Each stop is inspired by the iconic Drumstick sundae cone we all know and love, whether you’re smiling at the Smiling Peanut in Georgia, checking out the World’s Largest Chocolate Fountain in Las Vegas, or visiting Drumstick HQ in Oakland.
How to enter? At each stop on your Road Trip, snap a photo or video with a Drumstick or Drumstick box and post it to Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #DrumstickRoadTrip and tagging @Drumstick.
Visit https://bit.ly/DrumstickRoadTrip for official posting instructions to receive entry credits.
Can’t hit all stops? No problem. Even if you can only make it to a few stops, be sure to tag Drumstick and you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win a YEAR’S SUPPLY of sundae cones or iconic Drumstick merch. Each post is an additional entry.
The Drumstick Road Trip started June 21^st and runs through the last day of summer, September 22nd.