Cantaloupe Festival crowns king, queen

The Fallon Cantaloupe Festival & Country Fair has a newly elected king and queen.

Hunter Drost, 16, is a student at Oasis Academy, and Patricia Pruit, 25, is learning to run her family business, Dream Pools and Spas, with her husband.

Queen and king responsibilities include helping market the festival for the 2016-2017 season including appearing at events, doing print advertising, radio spots and television interviews as well as promoting festival spirit.

The king and queen will oversee this year’s three-day festival and country fair, which begins Friday at the Churchill County Fairgrounds.

The Lions Club Labor Day Parade is also still accepting entries.

Love and Theft, a country duo that swept the music world with their top 10 hit, “Runaway,” will open the festival on Friday with an 8 p.m. show after opening bands Rachel Steele and Road 88 and Stephen Christie and Kyle Rothchild. The fairground gates open at 5 p.m.

There are still tickets available for the festival’s opening concert. VIP packages ($45) may be purchased online at www.FallonCantaloupeFestival.Tix.com, or for general admission ($25) at CC Communications and Fallon Ford-Toyota.

Camping is available at the Churchill County Fairgrounds for this weekend’s Fallon Cantaloupe Festival & Country Fair.

“Camping is slowly filling up,” said Danny Gleich, recreation supervisor for Churchill County Parks & Recreation. “I would like to think there would be a handful available in the grassy area come Friday, but many in the parking lot will be available.”

Camping is also available over the holiday weekend at the Sand Mountain and Lahontan State recreation areas. No closures are reported.

Sand Mountain charges $40 for a week-long pass and $90 for the year. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are free. No water is available but there are vault toilets. Call 775-885-6000 with questions. Paving of the entrance road to Sand Mountain has been completed, and the speed limit is 25 mph with four 5 mph drainage dips.

Lahontan charges $7 for the day, $15 to camp and $14 for a boat launch. Camping with a boat is $22. Nev. residents receive a $2 discount. Call 775-577-2226 with questions.

The festival takes place Friday evening through Monday afternoon. Admission is $5, and children ages 10 and under are free. Parking is also free. Pre-purchased weekend passes are available for $10.

The Kiwanis Club Pancake Breakfast on Labor Day will start at 6 a.m. on Maine Street between Picture This! and E.H. Hursh. Adults are $6.50 and children are $3.50. The Labor Day parade follows at 10 a.m.

There will also be a Food Hub farmers market on Labor Day from 8 a.m. to noon.