Yerington’s Night in the Country festival, which takes place July 25 to 27, is moving from the Lyon County Fairgrounds to the Grange this year thanks to donations of land and services from local partners Peri and Sons Farms, Western Nevada Supply Co. and others who worked to level, grade and provide the fencing on 160 acres of land.
Country music lovers will get a change of pace and space this year at Night in the Country from July 25 to 27 at the Grange in Yerington.
The venue has moved about a mile away from its longstanding location at the Lyon County Fairgrounds to approximately 160 acres thanks to donations of land, fixtures, fencing and construction for one of the region’s premier events.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Mason Valley development director Nick Beaton told the Appeal the organization was thankful to various organizations that donated and developed the land and essential services. In appreciation, one of the camping grounds has been permanently named the Reviglio Range.
Local businesses include Peri and Sons Farms, the Reviglio Family, Western Nevada Supply, Prime West Construction, Peavine Construction and others that have contributed to ensuring the land was graded. Partners helped in setting the perimeter, providing or establishing the chainlink fencing and laying out the grounds in a user-friendly manner to host an event of its magnitude.
“With donations of more than $2 million and the way Western Nevada Supply Co. gave more than $600,000, this allowed us to settle into a new home while not taking away from the cause,” BGCMV executive director Travis Crowder said. “An undertaking of this size could not have happened.”
Country music fans will hear music from 26 scheduled artists, including Randy Houser, Riley Green, Bailey Zimmerman, Neal McCoy, Chase Rice, Corey Kent, Travis Denning, Ned Ledoux, Erin Kinsey, Ella Langley and more.
Local favorite Jakota Wass from Carson Valley is scheduled to appear on the Stampede Stage, Beaton said.
In addition to the music, guests can engage in a slate of activities at the High Noon Saloon Tournament of Champions and Stockyard. Players can try their hand at cornhole, mud volleyball, human battleship and horseshoe games.
Hot air balloon rides will be a new feature with baskets launching every 15 minutes and holding up to six riders. Participants will be able to take a commemorative photo at 100 feet in the air and must have a general admission (GA) pass or above to participate in the balloon rides. Time slots for rides must be made by Friday, July 19 by calling 775-463-2334.
Planning for traffic control required adjustments after closures to Miller’s Lane when Yerington experienced a significant amount of flooding. Ingress into the event had been impacted for travelers coming from the south. Still, entrance will be a challenge for ticketholders bringing trailers from U.S. 95A since making a left turn with these larger vehicles is nearly “impossible,” Beaton said. But with help from Nevada Barricade and Sign and other suppliers, posting visible signage and traffic control solutions has been another means of relieving congestion and frustration, Beaton said.
Members of law enforcement also stand ready should the need arise. Beaton credited Lyon County’s communications and emergency personnel and fire agencies, including the Yerington/Mason Valley Fire Protection District and agencies in Humboldt County for quick action.
“It’s less and less of a problem,” he said. “People like to be tame. You’re going to have your knuckleheads who like to go the other direction. People are there to have a good time. That’s a big testament to the Yerington Police Department and the Lyon County Sheriff’s Department and security.”
NITC launched in 2002 and celebrates its 22nd festival this year after canceling in 2020 due to COVID-19. It continues strong and expects another crowd of about 10,000, Beaton said. As of July 15, there were only a few hundred general admission passes available while VIP, Club 149, Country Cabana and Superfan passes are sold out.
Ultimately, the event continues to benefit BGCMV members and families. But while NITC certainly is crucial to the BGCMV, Beaton said it is not the “end-all, catch-all” for its operations. The funding is applied toward art programs, promoting healthy lifestyles for the kids through sports and recreation and ensuring social-emotional wellness and lifelong skills.
“We’ll always run into a person who likes to say we must be rolling in the green,” he said. “That money goes toward supporting our 1,500 members, including the 500 we see here every single day. … I always tell people we’re more than a babysitting service.”
The event also benefits other local organizations and foundations ranging from Pop Warner to Rotary clubs and Little League. NITC coordinates with more than 350 volunteers serving in many capacities from bartenders to camp check-in and will call to keep things running smoothly at the gates.
“We pride ourselves on how much people can do,” Beaton said. “It’s not just a musical festival. We like to say we take the ‘general’ out of general admission. We have decorating contests, relays, the human battleship, horseshoe pits, yoga, we do our poker tournament, and we’re really just a big community. We look forward to it.”
Beaton reminded guests to make sure to download the NITC app from nightinthecountrynv.org and have their passes, wristbands and extras ready. Check-in takes place Wednesday and Thursday.
A map of this year’s Night in the Country festival shows amenities and locations for campers inside the Grange and areas near or around the staging area once they arrive in Yerington at check-in. Courtesy