What's Happening in Reno This Weekend — May 1-3, 2026
By Ask Reno
It's the first weekend of May, and the calendar is loaded. Two huge headliners on the same Friday (Jo Koy + James Taylor), a six-game Aces home stand, Cirque Alice running all weekend at the Eldorado, Talib Kweli and Paul Reiser Saturday, the actual Cinco de Mayo split across THE ROW, Sparks, and Carson City, and the Sunday farmers market at Idlewild starting back up for the season.
Last weekend was the festival blitz; this one is "pick your show." Here's the full breakdown.
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Before the day-by-day, three multi-day plays that anchor the weekend:
- Reno Aces vs. Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Apr 28–May 3) — six-game home stand at Greater Nevada Field. Friday fireworks, Scooby Doo Night Saturday, $1.50 hot dogs Sunday. Cheap baseball, the Reno way.
- Cirque Alice at the Eldorado (Apr 28–May 3) — the spring/summer variety show: acrobatics, dance, music, all wrapped in an "Alice in Wonderland" retelling.
- Tahoe Knight Monsters vs. Kansas City Mavericks (Apr 29, 30, May 2) — first round ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs. Northern Nevada's hockey team takes on the league's best regular-season squad. Stateline.
- Smokehouse (Apr 30–May 2) — three-night New Orleans soul/blues run.
- Urinetown (May 1–3) — the Tony Award-winning satirical musical that skewers capitalism, city politics, and drought-era law makes its Reno debut.
Friday, May 1
Jo Koy — Grand Sierra Resort
The biggest comedy ticket of the weekend. Jo Koy headlines the Grand Theatre — same room that's been hosting Wet Leg, Brooks & Dunn, and Black Veil Brides for the last six weeks. If you haven't seen Jo live, his Mom material alone is worth the ticket.
James Taylor — Reno
The other huge ticket Friday. James Taylor plays Reno with a full band — "Fire and Rain," "Carolina In My Mind," "Shower the People." If you've been waiting for the right reason to drag your parents into town, this is it.
Date Night: Mexican Cooking Class — Nothing To It Culinary Center
If a comedy show isn't your speed, Nothing To It is running a Mexican-focused date night class at their Crummer Lane location, 6-8 PM. Hands-on, you eat what you make, BYOB. Books up fast.
Late Night at Cargo: Acraze + Alt! The Party
Two-for-one at Cargo: house DJ Acraze ("Do It To It") brings the dance floor early, then Alt! The Party takes over with the alt/emo dance night the late-twenties Reno crowd swears by. Pace yourself.
Hip-Hop, Reggae, Punk & Cumbia — Take Your Pick
Loaded indie-room night Friday: - Chris Webby — popular rapper, 7 PM at Club Underground. - Coloso — Washington reggae headlining a Lake Tahoe Depths Foundation fundraiser. - Suika T & El Papachango — electronic music meets psychedelia and cumbia. - Sacred Dance (Opulent Temple) — Burning Man camp throws a dress-in-white DJ party (Emanate, Mioli Music). - Flipper @ Holland — legendary noise-punks on an all-ages bill with Pissmixer and Inpatient. Loud, weird, $12.
Saturday, May 2
KTMB's Great Community Cleanup (Morning)
This one matters. Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful runs its annual cleanup with 700+ volunteers across 25+ sites — Reno Sports Complex, Bartley Ranch, Shadow Mountain, riverside trails, the works. They pull about 60 tons of trash out of the watershed every year. Sign up at ktmb.org/cleanups. 9 AM to noon. Bring gloves, water, and sunscreen.
If you read last week's hot topic on the Truckee River, this is the Saturday morning version of doing something about it.
Free Family Series: Molodi Live! — Pioneer Center, 3 PM
Same FREE family series that brought you Piano Heist last week. Molodi is a body percussion ensemble — think STOMP, but smaller, faster, and rhythmically deeper. Doors open at 3, walk in, no reservations needed. 100 S. Virginia Street.
This is the easiest "do something with the kids on a Saturday afternoon" win in town right now.
Baby Animal Days at Andelin Family Farm
If 3 PM at the Pioneer is too crowded, the other family move is driving 15 minutes to Spanish Springs for Baby Animal Days at Andelin. Lambs, baby goats, chicks, calves, piglets, plus hay rides, the duck race, and the straw bale maze. Sat 10 AM-7 PM. Tickets $13-16 online via SimpleTix (cheaper than at the gate).
This runs all month, but the first two Saturdays are the prime weather window before the summer heat kicks in.
Drop-In Crafts at The Discovery
If you can't get to Andelin or the Pioneer, The Discovery Museum has two drop-in family activities running all weekend: DIY String Art and Invent a Spaceship. Both included with admission.
Natural Dyeing + Weaving at Atelier (Adults)
For the grown-ups: artist Hannah Watson runs a two-day natural dyeing and weaving workshop at Atelier on Dickerson Road, 11 AM-5 PM Saturday and Sunday. You'll mordant your own wool/silk yarns, dye them with plant-based pigments, then weave on a tabletop loom. Loom and tools included. Limited spots.
Saturday Night Music
A loaded night across the city — pick your room:
- Talib Kweli — legendary rapper kicks off a year-long Reno residency featuring local hip-hop support. The hip-hop ticket of the year so far.
- Paul Reiser — the Mad About You / Stranger Things actor on his stand-up tour. Reiser actually started in stand-up before TV; this is the comedy ticket if you missed Jo Koy Friday.
- Magique at the Nugget Celebrity Showroom — magic, comedy, and dance variety show.
- NewFound Road at Nashville Social Club — Ohio bluegrass-Americana, 7:30 PM.
- Smoakland @ Cargo — California bass duo, heavy low-end. If you went to Acraze Friday, you're doubling down.
- Pipe Down @ Cypress Reno — indie/alt at one of Reno's smaller, more intimate rooms.
- The Darts + Service — punk double bill: all-women garage/psychedelic punk band The Darts plus noise/post-punk group Service.
- "Angel of Disruption" by Gator Agent @ Holland — local film screening with Q&A. All ages. Quieter night out.
Sunday, May 3
Riverside Farmers Market — Season Opener
The big one. Reno's Sunday market is back at Idlewild Park, by the duck ponds, 9 AM-1 PM. This runs every Sunday through fall. Local produce, baked goods, bread, eggs, honey, food trucks, sometimes live music. Free to wander.
If you live near Idlewild, this is your new Sunday morning. If you don't, it's worth the drive once a month at minimum.
Cinco de Mayo — Where to Actually Go
There's no single big "Reno Cinco de Mayo Festival" street event this year — the celebration is split across four spots:
- La Fiesta de Mayo @ THE ROW (May 2–3) — the 5th Annual edition of the biggest downtown Reno move, on the 2nd floor mezzanine between Eldorado and Circus Circus. Family-friendly, with food, tequila & beer, craft vendors, live entertainment, traditional dancers, and mariachi bands. Free to walk through.
- Carson City Cinco de Mayo Festival (May 3) — the actual full street festival is in Carson, hosted by Brewery Arts Center on W. King St. Taco-truck competition, live music, family activities. Worth the 30-min drive if you want the real thing.
- Sparks Cinco de Mayo Fest @ Rail City Casino (May 2–3) — neighborhood-feel option with mariachi and dance.
- The Eddy Day Party (May 3, 3–6 PM) — La Barca's Mexican pizzas and live music at The Eddy on S. Sierra St. Downtown, lower key.
Popovich Comedy Pet Theater — GSR Matinee
Same room Jo Koy played Friday, very different show. Gregory Popovich built his act around 30 rescued cats and dogs (yes, trained cats) plus acrobats and clowns. Sunday matinee, family-friendly, a perfect way to wrap a long weekend.
Day Two: Andelin, Atelier, The Discovery
Anything you missed Saturday is open Sunday too — Baby Animal Days runs Sun 10-7, the Atelier weaving workshop continues, and The Discovery's drop-in activities are still going.
Sunday Rock: Silent Theory + Hail The Sun / Foxy Shazam
Two more for rock fans: Silent Theory (Idaho hard rock) plays 7 PM at Club Underground, and the Hail The Sun + Foxy Shazam co-headline stops in Reno for a progressive metal / glam-meets-alt-rock double bill.
Eat & Drink: Two Things Worth Knowing
The Vegan Chef Challenge starts May 1
For the entire month of May, participating Reno restaurants put a brand-new 100% plant-based dish on their menu. Buenos Grill won "Best Overall Menu" last year and is competing again. You don't have to be vegan to play — try the dishes, vote on the website, tag @VCCReno on Instagram. The full restaurant list drops May 1.
This is a sneaky-good way to try restaurants you've been meaning to hit. The challenge gives chefs a creative excuse, and you get the upside.
Riverside Farmers Market is Back
Already covered above, but worth saying twice: the season opens Sunday at Idlewild. Plan accordingly.
Save the Date: Mother's Day at Idlewild (May 10)
Next Sunday is Mother's Day, and Reno has the move already lined up for you: the Riverside Farmers' Market — Mother's Day Boutique at Idlewild Park, 9 AM. Same Sunday market as this weekend, but turned up to 11 — 100+ local artists & artisans, farmers, bakers, live music, free yoga, kids' activities, low-cost family photos by the river, and brunch.
It's a thinking-ahead win: bring Mom, get the photo, knock out the gift shopping from local makers (vs. another supermarket bouquet), and ride home with a kid who's been outside all morning. Details here.
We'll send the full Mother's Day weekend guide on May 8 — but this one's already on the calendar.
TL;DR — Pick Your Weekend
Comedy + Family: Jo Koy Friday → Molodi at the Pioneer Saturday 3 PM → Popovich Sunday matinee. Outdoorsy + Civic: KTMB cleanup Saturday morning → Andelin Farm Saturday afternoon → Riverside Farmers Market Sunday. Music-heavy: Flipper at Holland Friday → Smoakland or Pipe Down Saturday → film screening Sunday brunch. Date weekend: Mexican class at Nothing To It Friday → weaving workshop at Atelier Saturday → farmers market Sunday morning.
Also still happening: Cirque Alice at the Eldorado, USBC Open Championships bowling at the National Bowling Stadium (free to watch).
What I'd Actually Do
If I'm picking one move: Saturday morning at the KTMB cleanup, drive home, shower, then walk into the Pioneer Center at 3 PM for Molodi with the kids. It's the kind of Reno-only Saturday that doesn't show up in the tourism brochure but is exactly why people stay here.
What am I missing? Hit reply on the weekly newsletter or drop a comment on r/Reno.