Reno Hotel Reviews

Hot August Nights

Hot August Nights in Reno and Sparks, Nevada

Hot August Nights is an annual event in the Reno-Sparks area combining classic cars with classic rock ‘n roll. The whole of the Reno-Sparks area lights up for this annual event, which brings in huge crowds from far and wide. Over 700,000 people flock to the week-and-a-half long event each year, where over 5,500 cars are on display during and dozens of free concerts are held. It’s a celebration of 1950s and ‘60s culture, music and classic cars.

History:

The first Hot August Nights was held on August 1, 1986 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. It was originally intended to celebrate the origins of rock ‘n roll. August has traditionally been a slow month for northern Nevada, and it was hoped that the event would bring visitors to town, as well as raise money for local charities. The heat of August is one of the reasons behind the slow tourism of August – hence the name Hot August Nights.

The original event was the product of Rick White, of Harrah’s, Norm Nielsen of the Club Cal Neva, Bob Ordonez from a local television station, “oldies” radio man Job McClain, Chuck Rose, Willie Davison, Jimmy Webster, Bob Casey, Skip Lipman and Phil Glover. The team planned and executed the event in less than three months, on a budget of $65,000, donated by businesses such as Coors, Coca-Cola, Great Basin Federal Credit Union and Eastern Airline, and with a team of less than 40 volunteers. With not much time, money, manpower or experience the original Hot August Nights team boldly broke new ground in music and auto history.

The event brought out over ten thousand people to see acts such as the Righteous Brothers, Jan & Dean, and Wolfman Jack. It had an air of nostalgia, with music and cars from the teenage years of most of the attendees, held in the sweltering heat of outdoor venues, stages and parking lots. But the heat didn’t stop the show.

One surprise to the founders was how popular the classic car parades were. Music was supposed to be the main attraction of the event, but revelers and car owners really took to a liking to the cars shows. From then on, the cars were elevated to being just as important to Hot August Nights as the music.

With such a successful first event, Hot August Nights has taken place every year since. It has become a Reno institution. In fact, things took off quickly. In its second year the event was expanded to a full eight days, and brought in such music legends as Chuck Berry, Frankie Avalon, The Shirelles, The Platters, The Drifters, The Checkmates, Little Anthony, The Tokens, The Marvelettes, Bill Haley and the Comets, Al Wilson, The Crystals, Shaboom, and The Diamonds. This time, 1,200 volunteers were on hand, compared with only 40 the year before, over 50,000 people attended, and the expenses exploded from the $65,000 budget in the first year to over a million dollars in the second. In fact, costs were so high that the event lost a quarter million dollars. But that didn’t stop the promoters from hosting the event the next year. Negotiations with creditors kept the organization afloat until the bills could be paid, allowing the event to not only come back every year since 1986, but to continuously grow.

Events:

True to its founding in 1986, today Hot August Nights still retains the flavor, fun and feel of the original event. The only difference is that it has gotten bigger and better as time has gone on. These days it attracts nearly three-quarters of a million visitors, several thousand cars to be shown and paraded, hundreds of cars up for auction, and music and car enthusiasts from around the world. Though scheduled to be a week-long celebration, visitors tend to start rolling into town a few days before the opening ceremony, and stay until a few days after the closing ceremony, taking advantage of the quieter periods before and after the main events to enjoy all that Reno has to offer, including casinos, top-notch dining, shows and outdoor recreation.

Dozens of concerts, most of which are free, are held in casinos and at outdoor venues, and a number of other special events are held around town. Many of the concerts celebrate rock ‘n roll and classic music of the ‘50s and ‘60s, with particular emphasis on the most celebrated songs and sounds of the time. Musical celebration was the original idea behind Hot August Nights, and the organizers haven’t lost sight of that vision. The event can be considered among the most exciting music festivals in the country.

For classic car enthusiasts, there is a rich lineup of events during Hot August Nights. Numerous classic and specialty car shows take place every day at locations around the Reno-Sparks area. There are also car parades and cruising events open to the public, either based on pre-registration of cars or on a first-come-first-served basis.

Dozens of cars are for sale at the swap meet, where memorabilia and parts are also bought and sold. The swap meet is one of the premier auto meets in the country.

Classic cars are also auctioned off by the dozen during Hot August Nights, as some of the best cars from around the country are put on the auction block. Serious buyers from all four corners of the globe are on hand or on the phone ready to bid four, five or six figures for the beauties on display. These events are just as much fun for the lookers as they are for the buyers, as some of the rarest and most beautifully kept classic cars in the world will be on display and trade hands in high energy auctions.

Several free entry “show-n-shine” competitions are held around town, giving owners a chance to show off their hard work, and fans the chance to check out the cars close up. These smaller events are great opportunities to meet the owners, chat with other enthusiasts about their hobby, and make new friends – many of which you’ll see again a year later at the next year’s Hot August Nights! Winners of the show-n-shine events collect cash and prizes worth thousands of dollars. Even truckers aren’t left out – there are special shows for them, too.

Racing events are also held at the Reno-Fernley Raceway. These include drag races, burnout competitions and more.

For those who don’t yet have classic cars or the budgets to afford the auctions, there’s hope: quite a few cars are raffled off in charity fundraisers during Hot August Nights. These are a great way to help out a good cause while having some fun. It is Reno, after all, so take a gamble. Or you can try out simulated NASCAR racing on the Peppermill’s course to test out your skills.

In addition to the car-themed events, art and craft shows are held nearly every day. Nostalgia seekers will enjoy the “sock hops,” or you can relive your high school days at the Prom, a formal event with music and dancing, just like your high school prom. Kids can even show of their “hot wheels” too.

A number of casinos and event sponsors also hold special free drawings and giveaways open to all throughout the week, offering still more chances to win free gifts, prizes and cash. The opening and closing ceremonies are fun events, as well.

Venues:

Most of the Hot August Nights events happen in and around the numerous casinos that participate, including the Boomtown, Bonanza, Circus Circus, Silver Legacy, Eldorado, Harrah’s, Fitzgerald’s, Peppermill, Atlantis and Reno Hilton. Many have outdoor performance, exhibition or dining space, where the heat of August in Reno will be in full force.

Other venues include the streets of downtown Reno for parades and cruises, the Reno Fernley Raceway, the National Automobile Museum. With so many visitors and classic cars in town, traffic can be troublesome, so public transportation between the events is a good bet.

Entertainment:

During Hot August Nights the entertainment is practically non-stop. Several free concerts, mostly rock ‘n roll, are held at various casinos and outdoor locations around the area each day. Throngs of people brave the heat in the name of rock ‘n roll every night. Big name performers from around the country come in, as well as tribute bands celebrating some of the best performers from decades past.

This is in addition to all of the large variety of shows and performances normally on tap in Reno throughout the year. As an added bonus, however, during Hot August Nights fans can meet the performers at special meet-and-greet events.

2006 Event:

Some of the major performers for Hot August Nights 2006 include America, Gary Puckett, Gary U.S. Bonds, Mitch Ryder, Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone, Johnny Rivers, Lil’ Elmo & The Cosmos, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Ronny and the Classics, Sixties Mania, Sonny Turner, The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards, Tommy James, the Village People and Tony Vee. This eclectic group of performers encompasses musical styles including folk, R&B, rock ‘n roll, soul and music from the ‘50s, ‘60s, ’70s and ‘80s. Many of these concerts will be free, so you can revel on a budget.

Several daily show-n-shines and car competitions will be held, as in previous years, offering tens of thousands of dollars in prizes. Cruises will be held around town so drivers can spend some time behind the wheels of their beautiful cars. This year cars have been registered from 36 US states, from Alaska to Florida, plus three Canadian provinces. Some of the show-n-shine events are open to all – so long as their owners get them to the events early enough to get a slot. Other events will be specific to certain types of cars, so check the schedule in advance to circle what you’re interested in.

But with all of those cars, traffic will be heavy. Fortunately, the Regional Transportation Commission will sell $10 tickets good for unlimited RTC Ride trips during the event. This is a great, and cheap, way to get around between the shows, events and concerts.

This year’s 20th Anniversary Prom will be held at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino on Thursday, August 3rd. Tickets are only $15 for this “proper prom attire required” night of music, dancing, drinks and fun. Sixties Mania will be on hand to play the best of the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Tom Jones, Roy Orbison, the Doors and many other favorites. The Prom always promises to be one of the most memorable events during Hot August Nights.

The Reno Swap Meet will also be held in conjunction with Hot August Nights, on over 12 acres of grounds. At this event August 3rd through 5th at the Reno Livestock Events Center, thousands of vendors and buyers will be come together to buy and sell classic cars and auto parts. This is a favorite event of car enthusiasts; it’s a great place to pick up some nostalgia, seek out hard-to-find car parts, or just browse the offerings.

Silver Auctions will be auctioning off nearly 900 cars from August 3rd through 6th in one of the largest auto auctions in the country. Prices range from the thousands to hundreds of thousands, which will satisfy collectors on any budget. The event is so popular that buyers from all around the world fly in just for the Hot August Nights auctions.

Finally, for 2006, the main events will also be covered by KOLO-TV on the air and streaming over the Internet. If things get too hot for you, you can still catch the action while you cool down indoors.