What's Happening in Reno This Weekend — May 8-10, 2026 (Mother's Day Edition)
By Ask Reno
Mother's Day weekend, and the calendar is stacked. Two big Sunday anchors — the 26th annual Moms on the Run 5K at Damonte Ranch and the Mother's Day Boutique at Idlewild Park with 100+ local artisans, free yoga, and a kids play village — plus a full three days of concerts, comedy, and cirque before you ever get to Sunday brunch.
The calendar is also telling you something: almost every headline-worthy event is within a 10-minute drive of downtown. Pick your Friday, pick your Saturday, and save Sunday morning for mom.
Here's the full breakdown.
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Running All Weekend
Three multi-day plays to know before you start picking nights:
- Hot August Nights Spring Fever (Fri–Sat, Atlantis Casino Resort) — the official kickoff to HAN 2026. Pre-1979 cars, emergency vehicles, and a teaser for the main July 31–Aug 9 event. $60 standard registration ($25 if you're already registered for the main event). Free for spectators.
- Jeff Leach — Laugh Factory (Silver Legacy) — the full weekend. Fri 7:30 & 9:30 PM, Sat 5/7:30/9:30 PM, Sun 5 & 7:30 PM. Six sets across three days — Jeff's been viral on the podcast circuit for a year, and the Laugh Factory room is the closest Reno has to an L.A. club.
- Cirque Alice — Eldorado Casino Showroom — the spring variety show continues. Fri 8:30 PM, Sat 7:30 & 9:30 PM, Sun 5 PM. Acrobatics + dance + music wrapped in an Alice in Wonderland frame. Family-friendly, date-night-friendly.
- 2026 USBC Open Championships — still running through mid-July at the National Bowling Stadium. Free to spectate.
Friday, May 8
Los Huracanes del Norte — Grand Sierra Resort
Norteño legends, full band, Grand Theatre. Doors 7 PM. If you haven't seen them live, "El Besito" in that room with a packed house is a different kind of night.
Northern Nevada Night Skies Kickoff: Fortunate Youth with Josh Heinrichs — Hawkins Amphitheater
The Washoe County summer concert series opener at Bartley Ranch. Fortunate Youth (reggae, Long Beach) with Josh Heinrichs. Doors 6 PM. Bring blankets — this one's outdoors at the amphitheater.
Glitter Bomb LIVE — Reno Public Market (FREE)
70s disco tribute band, 7–10 PM, free entry. The kind of Friday where you don't have to commit — walk over, have a drink, dance or don't, leave when you want.
Restless Romantics — Final Show, The Holland Project
End of an era. Reno post-punk band Restless Romantics plays their last-ever show at Holland, with Evening Spirits and Silent Giant. 7 PM, all ages, cheap.
Dave Masud — 'Three Quarter Life Crisis' Record Release Party — The Alpine
Local singer-songwriter Dave Masud drops his new album with a full-band release show. 8 PM at The Alpine. Intimate room, original songs, first night the record's out in the wild.
Lou Deezi with Tooda Osama and 1100 Himself — Cargo Concert Hall
Hip-hop triple bill at Cargo. 8 PM. Cargo's been getting the underground-rap run this spring — if that's your lane, this is the Friday.
Saturday, May 9
Saturday is front-loaded with free family programming, so here's the day in order.
10 AM: Reno Phil presents "The Orchestra Moves" — Pioneer Center (FREE)
Free family concert. The Reno Phil's annual "meet the orchestra" morning at the Pioneer Center — designed for kids, parents get a full orchestra performance too. Bring ear protection for toddlers, strollers welcome in the lobby.
10:30 AM–4:30 PM: Mother's Day Weekend at The Discovery Museum
Three drop-in programs at The Discovery running all day: - Mother's Day LED Cards — make a glowing greeting card for mom. - Invent a Spaceship — build a spaceship from recycled materials (10:30–4:30). - STEM Lab: Mother's Day Flower Arranging (10:30 AM–2:30 PM).
Covered by general admission. If you have a 6-year-old, this is the Saturday.
12 PM–10 PM: Reno Public Market Saturday Block Party
RPM goes big Saturday. All free, all outdoors at 299 E Plumb: - International Line Dance Flashmob — 12–3 PM. - Kids Crafts — 12–3 PM. - Reno Rodeo Foundation Spring Denim Drive Kick-Off — 4–10 PM. Drop off gently used denim, support local kids. - Line Dancing with Vaquera Vikki — 6–7 PM, open to all skill levels. - Rick Hays & American Steel — live country-rock, 7–10 PM.
9 AM–4 PM: Moms on the Run 5K Packet Pickup — Pinocchio's Bar & Grill
Pick up your bib early for Sunday's 5K. Pinocchio's on S. Virginia, 9 AM–4 PM. Saves you 20 minutes of stress Sunday morning.
12 PM: Begin Anywhere — Poetry Workshop at Holland Project
Two-hour guided poetry workshop. 12–2 PM, $10 suggested donation. If your Saturday needed something that isn't a concert, this.
Jeff Leach — Laugh Factory (see Running All Weekend)
Saturday is the three-show day: 5 PM, 7:30 PM, 9:30 PM. The 5 PM matinee is the hidden gem — smaller crowd, Jeff usually loosens up.
7 PM: Tatum's Grad Show! — The Holland Project
Featuring Meat Blanket, MySpace Girlfriend, Orrral Fixation, and Devin & Aidan. A local grad-show institution — the kind of Reno Saturday you'll remember.
$125,000 Bingo Blowout — Nugget Casino Resort
Grand Ballroom, Sparks. $125,000 in prizes. If you've never done high-stakes bingo in the Nugget ballroom, it's one of those only-in-northern-Nevada experiences.
CRIMEWAVE — Cargo Concert Hall
Late-night rock at Cargo — confirm exact showtime on the Cargo site.
Reno Phil Youth Orchestras Spring Showcase — Pioneer Center
The Phil's youth orchestras close out the spring season. Pioneer Center, Saturday evening. Check pioneercenter.com for ticket times.
Sunday, May 10 — Mother's Day
Sunday is the main event. Two big anchors, then a soft afternoon.
🏃♀️ 26th Annual Moms on the Run — Damonte Ranch High School
The headline event of the weekend. A 4-mile run/walk benefiting Northern Nevada women battling breast and gynecological cancer. 26 years running.
- 7 AM: Registration + coffee + donuts
- 9 AM: Walk start (opening ceremonies 8:30)
- ~11 AM: Kidlet's Race (1/4 mile, kids 12 and under)
- Family activities, face painting, and on-site fun all morning
Strollers welcome. If you've got a mom (or you are one), this is the Sunday in Reno.
🌸 9 AM–2 PM: Mother's Day Boutique at Idlewild Park
The other can't-miss. The Riverside Farmers Market's annual Mother's Day edition at Idlewild Park (2055 Idlewild Dr) — and it's a full-blown festival:
- 100+ local artists and artisans
- Live music all day
- Free yoga — two classes (10–11 AM and 11:30 AM–12:30 PM)
- Face painting + kids play village
- Food trucks, painting by the river, low-cost family photos
- Free RTC Park & Rideshare from Washoe County Courthouse lot (Court & Virginia)
Local tip: the RTC shuttle solves the single hardest problem with this event — parking. Take it.
10:30 AM–4:30 PM: The Discovery Museum
Both programs running again Sunday — Invent a Spaceship and Mother's Day LED Cards. If Saturday got away from you, the museum is the Sunday backup plan that still counts as "doing Mother's Day."
12 PM–3 PM: Bachata Brunch — Reno Public Market
Live Latin music and dance lessons over brunch. RPM's Mother's Day twist on the standard brunch hour. Good mom-and-daughter energy if that's the vibe.
7 PM: Clarion, Forest, Bed — The Holland Project
Shoegaze, rock, and post-punk triple bill at Holland to close out the weekend. 7 PM, all ages.
Jeff Leach + Cirque Alice (see Running All Weekend)
- Jeff Leach at the Laugh Factory: 5 PM and 7:30 PM Sunday shows.
- Cirque Alice at the Eldorado: 5 PM Sunday matinee — great Mother's Day afternoon option if brunch went long.
Heads Up: Reno Aces Are Away
No home games this weekend. The Aces are on the road. Greater Nevada Field opens back up next week — save it for then.
Quick Picks by Vibe
- Mom's birthday weekend (brunch + low effort): Mother's Day Boutique at Idlewild → Cirque Alice Sunday 5 PM.
- Took mom out Saturday instead: Reno Phil "Orchestra Moves" 10 AM → Reno Public Market line dancing 6 PM → Rick Hays 7 PM.
- Date night: Jeff Leach 7:30 or 9:30 at the Laugh Factory → late-night drinks downtown.
- Concert head: Los Huracanes del Norte Friday OR Fortunate Youth at Bartley Ranch Friday OR Tatum's Grad Show Saturday.
- Kids under 10: Saturday morning Reno Phil free concert → Discovery Museum Mother's Day cards → RPM kids crafts.
- Running it back: Moms on the Run Sunday 9 AM.
Full Event Calendar
Every event on this guide plus the 100+ other things happening across May 2026 are on the full Reno Events Calendar. Filter by this weekend, family, free, or live music.
Bookmark ask-reno.com/events/this-weekend — it refreshes every week with the newest confirmed events.
Happy Mother's Day, Reno. Go show up for her.
Events sourced from official venue calendars (Atlantis, GSR, Nugget, Eldorado, Silver Legacy Laugh Factory, Pioneer Center, The Holland Project, Reno Public Market, The Discovery Museum, Bartley Ranch/Hawkins Amphitheater, The Alpine, Cargo Concert Hall, Damonte Ranch High School, Idlewild Park Farmers Market) and cross-referenced with r/Reno and Visit Reno Tahoe.