A month-long arts festival with over 500 events across Reno — concerts, dance, theater, film, workshops, and kids' programs. About 70% are free. Artown turns the entire city into a stage every July. Here's what you need to know.
Dates
July 1-31
All month long
Events
500+
11 categories
Cost
~70% Free
Some ticketed shows
Venues
Dozens
Parks, theaters, galleries
The Monday Night Music Series at Rancho San Rafael is the flagship event — free concerts with local and national artists. Bring a blanket, a picnic, and show up early for a good spot.
Professional and community dance performances, stage plays, and theatrical productions throughout the month. Ballets Jazz Montreal and other touring companies have performed in past years.
Gallery walks, outdoor installations, and exhibition openings across Reno's art district. The Nevada Museum of Art participates with special programming.
A free 22-day summer kids' arts discovery program, family concerts, movies in the park, and interactive workshops. Artown is one of Reno's best family events.
Hands-on classes in mosaics, painting, stained glass, and other arts. Most are free or low-cost. Great way to actually participate instead of just watching.
Gospel Fest, Buddhist chanting evenings, literary readings, film screenings, and historical talks. The 2026 theme ties into America's 250th birthday.
Main outdoor stage. Monday Night Music Series, opening and closing nights. Bring lawn chairs.
Downtown island park on the Truckee River. Intimate outdoor performances.
Special exhibitions and programming throughout July.
South Reno park venue for select outdoor events.
Saturday afternoon Artown Talks series — free historical and cultural presentations.
Dozens of smaller venues host performances, screenings, and shows across the city.
Monday Night Music at Rancho San Rafael is the don't-miss event. Get there by 5:30 PM for a good spot. Bring food — there are usually food trucks but the lines get long.
Download the Little Book from artown.org — it's the complete schedule organized by date and category. Available in English and Spanish.
The free workshops fill up fast. If something interests you, register early through the Artown website.
July in Reno is hot (90s-100s). Evening outdoor events are the sweet spot — comfortable temperatures once the sun drops behind the mountains around 8 PM.
Artown overlaps with Hot August Nights at the end of the month (HAN starts July 31). If you're planning a trip, the last week of July gives you both.
Keep exploring what Reno has to offer