October in Nevada is a month full of events celebrating the changing seasons and our state’s favorite holiday—Nevada Day! So, get your boots on and get ready to attend these regional favorites.

Eldorado Great Italian Festival

Bring your appetite for everything Italian to downtown Reno for the Eldorado Great Italian Festival. Virginia Street transforms into Little Italy with a grape stomp, sauce cookers competition, wine walk, an Italian farmer’s market, kids’ gelato eating contest, Italian Buffet and incredible, free, live entertainment and vendors. Don’t miss the Great Italian Festival Sauce Cook-off when Italian families from across the West Coast bring their recipes to life in front of admiring and hungry spectators.

Reno Celtic Celebration

The whole family can participate in Celtic activities and performances at the Reno Celtic Celebration held at Bartley Ranch Regional Park. See pipe bands, Scottish and Irish dancers and Celtic musicians. Activities include Highland games, Celtic critters at the animal village and games for children. Enjoy food and drink and shop Celtic merchandise at this annual event.

Reno Bites Restaurant Week

Experience the best of Reno’s culinary scene during this week-long celebration. Dozens of restaurants will offer dining specials and experiential food-focused events. The 5th annual event culminates with an exhilarating Chef Showdown in which pits top chefs in a one-hour competition for prizes and bragging rights.

Reno Mural Expo

Watch 30 dynamic artists, including two international, 12 national and 16 locals, transform 31 vacant walls and alleys into an outdoor art gallery. Covering about 20,000 square feet of wall space, this festival brings artists using a diverse array of styles of mural art, including abstract, photo-realistic, illustrative, graffiti, paintbrush, airbrush, roller brush, wheat paste, and stencil.

Grand Sierra Chili And Beer Festival

Indulge in comfort food at the Chili & Beer Festival, featuring the 51st anniversary of the World’s Championship Chili Cookoff. Daily activities include chili tastings, music, craft beer, and vendors.

Pumpkin Palooza

There’s an activity for everyone at this pumpkin-themed festival including, a pumpkin derby, children’s costume parade, storytelling in the Haunted School House, and carnival style games. Check out the pie-eating, pumpkin seed spitting, marshmallow shooting and mummy wrapping contests or enjoy live entertainment.

Nevada Day

Nevadans love to celebrate—so it’s no surprise that the state’s birthday is a day-long festival and the largest statehood celebration in the nation. The celebration commemorating Nevada’s entry into the Union on October 31, 1864, features a large assortment of activities. Check out the Nevada Day Parade, music and art shows, a Carnival, Pancake Breakfast at the Governor’s Mansion, Nevada Day Classic Run/Walk, World Championship Rock Drilling Contest, Beard Contest, Annual Chili Feed, free local concerts and more!