28 free, cheap events in Reno-Tahoe: Music, baseball, theater and more

Summer events season is still in full swing. Here’s how to stretch your entertainment dollar this weekend with these 28 events under $20.

Free and cheap Reno-Tahoe events, July 23-26

Artown, through July 31: There are far too many activities to list for this monthlong celebration of the arts, but some of the highlights for this weekend include Young Shakespeare presents “Macbeth,” Sweet Vibrations: Northern Nevada String Serenade and the Japanese Festival at the Reno Buddhist Center. For details and schedule, visit artown.org.

Reno Aces vs. Tacoma Rainiers, July 23-26: Reno’s Minor League Baseball team hosts the top affiliate of the Seattle Mariners in a six-game set. Highlights include Christmas in July with a postgame drone show on Friday, Star Wars Night with postgame fireworks on Saturday and $1.50 hot dogs with postgame fireworks on Sunday. Tickets for general admission lawn seating start at $18 ($17 for kids 12 and under, seniors 62 and over and military and veterans). Games are at Greater Nevada Field, 250 Evans Ave. For details, visit renoaces.com.

DJ Trivia, July 23: Show off your smarts at this weekly trivia competition at Reno Public Market. It runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at 299 E. Plumb Lane. For details, visit renopublicmarket.com.

Reno Improv, July 24-25: Local improv troupes have three performances on the schedule this weekend, with showtimes at 7 and 9 p.m. Friday and at 8 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $10. It’s all at Reno Improv, 695 Willow St. For details, visit renoimprov.org.

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival: “The Heart of Robin Hood,” July 24: This theatrical retelling of the Robin Hood legend starts at 7:30 p.m. at Sand Harbor State Park, 2005 Highway 28 in Incline Village. Tickets start at $19. For details, visit laketahoeshakespeare.com.

Food Truck Thursday @ North Valleys, July 23: Reno Street Food hosts this weekly rally at North Valleys Regional Park, 8085 Silver Lake Road. It runs from 4 to 8 p.m. For details, visit renofoodtruckevents.com.

Waší∙šiw ɁitdéɁ Festival, July 24-26: The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California hosts this celebration of Indigenous culture and arts at Meeks Bay Resort. The event includes Indigenous demonstrations, basketry, food vendors and more. It’s 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at 7941 Emerald Bay Road in Tahoma, California. Admission is free. For details, visit washoetribe.us.

“Rent,” July 24-26: TheatreWorks Northern Nevada presents this Tony- and Pulitzer-winning musical about struggling artists in Manhattan’s East Village during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Performances are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 315 Spokane St. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for children, students, seniors and military. For details, visit twnn.org.

“Shrek,” July 24-25: Before “Shrek 5” shows up in theaters next June, see the original back on the big screen (and the next three movies over the next three weekends). This one is showing at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Fallon Theatre, 71 S. Maine St. in Fallon. Admission is free. For details, visit fallontheatre.com.

“True Grit,” July 24-25: This Academy Award-winning film (specifically, the 2010 version) returns for two screenings this weekend. It’s showing at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Fallon Theatre, 71 S. Maine St. in Fallon. Admission is free. For details, visit fallontheatre.com.

Food Truck Friday, July 24: Reno’s largest weekly food truck rally continues its summer schedule with nearly four dozen vendors this Friday at 4 p.m. at Idlewild Park, 1495 Idlewild Drive in Reno. Festivities run through 9 p.m. For details, visit renofoodtruckevents.com.

“Zootopia 2” July 24: The free movie series at South Lake Tahoe’s Bijou Community Park continues this Friday with this 2025 Disney sequel. Showtime is 8 p.m. at 1201 Al Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe, California. For details, visit cityofslt.gov.

Wizardly Weekend at The Discovery, July 25-26: Celebrate Harry Potter’s birthday by designing your own wizard robe and building your own wand this weekend at The Discovery, 490 S. Center St. Admission is $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and for children 6-17, and $14 for children 1-5. For details, visit nvdm.org.

Free and cheap Reno-Tahoe concerts, July 23-26

Sang Matiz, July 23-25: The Bay Area is home to this group that plays a mix of jazz, funk and Afro-Brazilian music. They perform at 7 p.m. the first night and 8 p.m. subsequent nights at Terrace Lounge, Peppermill Resort Casino, 2707 S. Virginia St. Details at peppermillreno.com.

Youth Decline, July 23: This punk-screamo group from southern California headlines a mix of touring bands and locals at this show, 7 p.m. at Holland Project, 140 Vesta St. Tickets are $10-$12. Details: 775-742-1858 or hollandreno.org.

Sleepbomb, July 23: A band that merges metal with psychedelia and post-rock, Sleepbomb is currently touring a show where they play their own score to the 1982 movie “Conan the Barbarian,” showing the film at the same time. It all starts at 8 p.m. at The Alpine, 324 E. Fourth St. Tickets start at $20. Details at thealpine-reno.com.

Negative Sixx, July 23: A group from Sacramento, Negative Sixx plays thrash metal and will perform at 8 p.m. at The Cellar Stage, Alturas Bar, 1044 E. Fourth St. There is a $12 cover charge. Details at facebook.com/alturasnv.

Wurm Flesh and Kobragoat, July 24: This death metal band from Sacramento plays on a bill with locals Purification By Fire and FoolZDen at this show, 8 p.m. at Whiskey Dicks Saloon, 2660 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, California. Tickets are $10-$15. Details at instagram.com/dirrtyfive30events.

Dark Passenger, July 24: Hailing from Northern California, this band performs in a variety of metal styles, from hard rock to metalcore, nu metal to post-hardcore. They play at 9 p.m. at The Cellar Stage, Alturas Bar, 1044 E. Fourth St. There is a $12 cover charge. Details at facebook.com/alturasnv.

Everything Sucks Fest 2026, July 25: The annual punk-band event returns, this time with locals Hired Fun, Irreplaceable Beings, Flicker And Fade and Cold Amber Medicine. It begins at 4 p.m. at Shoe Tree Brewing Co., 1496 Old Hot Springs Road, Carson City. Admission is free. Details at instagram.com/shoetreebrewing.

The Sam Chase, July 25: Frequent visitors to the area, this Bay Area indie folk/rock band performs at 7 p.m. at the Outdoor Stage, Brewery Arts Center, 449 W. King St., Carson City. Admission is free. Details at breweryarts.org.

The Earles of Newtown, July 25: This group from Nevada City, California mixes Western swing and early jazz for a distinctive sound. They perform at 7:30 p.m. at Reno Public Market, 299 E. Plumb Lane. Details at renopublicmarket.com.

Death Lens and Sad Park, July 25: A pair of bands from Southern California that mix alternative rock and modern punk, this tour makes a stop at 8 p.m. at Holland Project, 140 Vesta St. Tickets are $15-$20. Details: 775-742-1858 or hollandreno.org.

Kobragoat, July 25: This extreme metal band from California plays with a host of similar bands from Reno: Little Dad, Silence The Crowd, Metalbilly Trucker and Delirium Shift. It begins at 8 p.m. at The Cellar Stage, Alturas Bar, 1044 E. Fourth St. There is a $10 cover charge. Details at facebook.com/alturasnv.

Ken Combine, July 25: The UK dubstep DJ/artist performs in Reno for the first time at 9 p.m. at Cypress, 761 S. Virginia St. Tickets start at $20. Details at instagram.com/cypress.reno.

Andy y su Orquesta Callao, July 26: With Peruvian roots in both its membership and its music style, this salsa group from the Bay Area plays at 6 p.m. at Reno Public Market, 299 E. Plumb Lane. Details at renopublicmarket.com.

Lao Tizer Quartet, July 26: Sponsored by Artown and For The Love Of Jazz, this show features acclaimed keyboardist Tizer and his group, which also features vocalist Elliott Yamin and longtime jazz/rock session percussionist Munyungo Jackson. They play at 7 p.m. at Reno Little Theater, 147 E. Pueblo St. Admission is free. Details at artown.org.

Edge of Paradise, July 26: With a mix of power metal and industrial music, this Los Angeles group plays at 7 p.m. at Club Underground, 555 E. Fourth St. Tickets start at $20. Details at clubundergroundreno.com.

Reno-Tahoe weather, July 23-26

Reno

Thursday: Sunny. High 98. Mostly clear overnight. Low 64.
Friday: Sunny. High 99. Mostly clear overnight. Low 66. Gusts up to 30 mph overnight.
Saturday: Sunny. High 97. Afternoon gusts up to 30 mph. Mostly clear overnight. Low 63.
Sunday: Sunny. High 97. Mostly clear overnight. Low 62.

Tahoe

Thursday: Sunny. Highs 79-89. Clear overnight. Lows 48-58.
Friday: Sunny. Highs 80-90. Clear overnight. Lows 48-58.
Saturday: Sunny. Highs 78-88. Clear overnight. Lows 47-57.
Sunday: Sunny. Highs 79-89. Clear overnight. Lows 45-55.

Mark Earnest contributed to this report.

Brett McGinness is the engagement editor for the Reno Gazette Journal. He’s also the writer of The Reno Memo — a free newsletter about news in the Biggest Little City.

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