Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Nevada Day date switch proposed

CARSON CITY -- Mayor Marv Teixeira wants the traditional Nevada Day celebration moved to a three-day weekend annually.

"If we can move Abraham Lincoln and George Washington's birthday to make Presidents Day, we can do this," Teixeira said. "It makes economic sense."

Nevada has traditionally observed its admission day on Oct. 31, and since the late 1930s, the celebration has centered in Carson City. But when it falls in the middle of the week, attendance is down and so is local business.

Under the Teixeira plan, announced at a news conference Thursday, Nevada Day would fall on the last Saturday of October. When a holiday falls on Saturday, under state law Friday is a holiday.

Teixeira, who leaves office in January, said he has gone to the Nevada Day Committee several times in the past to get their support for the three-day weekend concept. But the committee opposed it.

This time, he said, the committee voted 7-1 in favor of the change, which must be approved by the Legislature.

Teixeira pledged to raise $20,000 annually for the next several years to help finance the Nevada Day activities. He said he would seek donations from casinos, hotels, bars, restaurants and others who would benefit from the three-day weekend.

"The biggest thing, it would allow people in Nevada to take off on Thursday night to come to Carson City and to see all the events," the mayor said. "The 1,700 hotel-motel rooms would fill up."

The events would start Thursday night and be spread over the weekend. The parade, which usually has more than 250 entries, would be on Saturday.

In recent years, the committee has had to raise the entry fees for parade entries, and many are high school bands. Teixeira suggested the entry fee for the bands could be waived.

He said he has spoken to manufacturers in Carson City who favor the plan, but he needs support from the other 16 counties before introducing the bill in the Legislature.

Teixeira said he has a self-imposed 60-day deadline to get the pledges from businesses to contribute $20,000 a year in the future to help stage "a first class event."

Bill Dolan, publicity chairman for the Nevada Day Committee, said the switch won't be easy. Twice in the past, the Legislature has rejected the suggestion to hold the celebration during a three-day weekend.

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