Area's heritage celebrated in weekend events

Although the 25th annual Carson City Rendezvous celebrates times long past, participants say there are modern lessons to learn.

Kimberley Halen, 23, is a psychology graduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno, and has been a part of Old West theater troupes since she was 8.

For several years, she and her mother, Barbara, have performed skits from the 1800s at the Rendezvous in Mills Park as members of the Nevada Gunfighters group.

They re-enact a series of stories from that time period.

"Most of them are true," Kimberley explained. "Some of them are maybe true."

Playing characters from long ago, she said, has helped her in her studies.

"It's very helpful to learn how people were," she said. "People haven't changed. It's a lot of the same stuff, just a different setting."

The Rendezvous continues through Sunday. It features a wide variety of arts and crafts as well as food vendors, and entertainment ranging from classic country and folk music to Civil War and gunfight re-enactments. Other entertainment will include dancing, games and a mountain man camp.

"It's a good place to meet nice people," Barbara Halen said. The Reno mother joined the predecessor to the Nevada Gunfighters group in Carson City 15 years ago as a way to help her daughter.

"I used to be really shy when I was growing up. I didn't want my daughter to be shy, and performing like this you can't be."

Her group, along with five others from across the West, will be performing at regular intervals at the festival throughout the weekend.

Elizabeth Furry, of Minden, plans on attending some of the shows today, but she and her daughters spent most of Friday shopping.

"We've got horses, so we like to look at the spurs and horsehair bracelets and stuff," she said.

About two hours into the first day, her oldest daughter, Loagan, 16, had purchased an old-fashioned-looking apron and while sisters Jessica, 14, and Bailey, 12, bought bracelets.

"I'm thinking about going back for a stampede string," Furry said.

She plans to return today with her husband, but first they want to check out the Minden Ranch Rodeo Buckaroo Fest at the Douglas County Fairgrounds as part of Carson Valley Days, which is also taking place this weekend.

The rodeo will fun from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and there will be a parade between Minden and Lampe parks beginning at 9 this morning. The event will also include a carnival, duck race, craft fair and other activities.

The Furrys hope to fit in a bit of everything.

"We're going to pack our weekend," Elizabeth said. "We're going to cram it all in."

- Contact reporter Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1272.