Genoa Candy Dance Faire
Fall festival · Nevada
Genoa, Nevada's oldest town, closes its Main Street for the Candy Dance Faire every September, a two-day craft fair that traces back to a 1919 fundraiser dinner and dance for streetlights. The 2026 faire runs September 26 and 27, with more than 400 vendors set against the Sierra foothills west of Carson City.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 9am-4pm; always the last full weekend in September
Dates from the official announcement — always confirm before you go.
Color nearby peaks: October 5–October 9
Color builds from September 22 · mostly bare by October 29
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Genoa Candy Dance Faire’s own coordinates and elevation (1466 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Genoa Candy Dance Faire on the map
More things to do in Nevada
Great Basin National Park
National parkPeak October 20
Wheeler Peak's aspen groves turn gold beneath bristlecone pines over 4,000 years old in one of the least-visited national parks in the country, with Lehman Caves tours and a scenic drive climbing to 10,000 feet near the Utah border.
Don’t miss: 4,000-year-old bristlecone pines · Lehman Caves tours
The Gilcrease Orchard
OrchardColor nearby peaks November 6
Sixty acres of you-pick orchard in northwest Las Vegas, run since 1997 by the non-profit Gilcrease Orchard Foundation on land the Gilcrease brothers farmed from the 1970s. Ted called it his "pick and pay" orchard; fall brings apples, a pumpkin patch, corn maze and wagon rides.
Don’t miss: 60 acres of you-pick · Non-profit foundation since 1997 · Fall pumpkin patch and corn maze
Haunted Harvest at Springs Preserve
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks November 8
The lights-on, kid-scale alternative to Vegas haunts: four evenings of trick-or-treat stations, crafts and food trucks scattered through the Springs Preserve's "Boo-tanical" Garden, with costumed characters lurking in the beds. Tickets are timed-entry and online only.
Don’t miss: Trick-or-treat stations · "Boo-tanical" Garden setting · Members enter early at 4pm
The Washoe Club
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks October 13
The Washoe Club has stood on C Street since Virginia City's silver-boom days, and it now runs daily ghost tours through the saloon and upstairs club rooms where Comstock-era miners once gambled. Overnight paranormal investigations are also available for anyone who wants more than a walkthrough of Nevada's oldest surviving saloon.
Don’t miss: Daily ghost tours · Overnight paranormal investigations · Virginia City's oldest saloon
Frequently asked
- When is Genoa Candy Dance Faire open in 2026?
- The 2026 season runs Sep 26 – Sep 27. Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 9am-4pm; always the last full weekend in September. Dates can shift, so check the official site before you go.
- When does Genoa Candy Dance Faire peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 5–October 9 (best estimate October 7). Color starts around September 22 and is mostly bare by October 29.
- What is Genoa Candy Dance Faire best for?
- A historic small-town craft fair below the Sierra crest.
Own or manage Genoa Candy Dance Faire? Update your listing or get in touch.