BRAD HORN/Nevada Appeal Kathy McClintock, right, and Dana Matherne, of American Family Insurance, stir bacon into pasta to create a Fettuccini Carbonara at the Oodles of Noodles festival in Dayton on Saturday.
Dayton's annual festival worshiping the most comforting of comfort food - pasta - will likely put smiles on faces and stains on shirts next weekend.
The 7th annual Oodles of Noodles street festival will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 10.
Cooks, vendors and entertainers will fill Pike Street and Logan Alley in Old Town, while the smell of noodles cooking will fill the air.
Oodles of Noodles is sponsored by the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce and is one of the organization's chief fundraisers.
The festival celebrates the area's Italian and Chinese heritage, and offers plenty of pasta and a variety of street vendors.
Sara Fleming, head of the entertainment, said the performers are donating their services toward a cultural and performing arts scholarship for Dayton High School students.
Donations can be left at the pavilion, the Nevada State Bank at Smith's, and at the New Cultural and Performing Arts for Dayton, 141 River Village Circle, Dayton, NV 89403.
Lyon County Commissioner Larry McPherson will be the master of ceremonies, spinning yarns with the best of them, and introducing the acts.
At 10:15 a.m. Don and Nadine will perform country and '50s music, and there will be a Civil War re-enactment at 11 a.m.
Then the Dayton High School Jazz Band will perform at 11:15 a.m., followed by "Music of the Miners" with Tom and Mary Kay Aufrance of Gairin Celtic Music at noon.
The "Roaring Twenties" ballroom dancers from the Never Enough Ballroom School of Dance in Reno will perform at 1 p.m., followed by another Civil War re-enactment at 1:30 p.m.
Orville Meyer, storyteller and VFW member will perform at 2 p.m. with Jack Lynn, a singer-guitarist. At 3 p.m., contest winners will be announced.
Tickets to taste all the noodles are $5 for adults and $3 for kids younger than 12.
Once a ticket is purchased, the taster goes to each booth spread out down Pike Street to taste each noodle dish. They then put their ticket in the container for the dish they like best.
Last year's winner, Lee Kennedy of the Daytona Casino, which won the Judge's Choice award, said the secret to his success was lots of olive oil.
Other winners were Coldwell Banker, which won People's Choice and Chuck's Old West Grill, which won the Professional Award.
• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 881-7351.
If You Go
Oodles of Noodles
WHAT: Pasta-cooking contest sponsored by the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce
WHEN: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. May 10.
WHERE: Along Pike Street in Old Town Dayton
CALL: 246-7909
On the Net
www.daytonnvchamber.org