The Dance that Brought Light to Genoa
The
Genoa "Candy Dance" originated in 1919 as an effort to raise money to
purchase street lights for the small, but enterprising community of
Genoa, Nevada's first settlement. Lillian Virgin Finnegan, daughter of
then prominent Judge Daniel Webster Virgin, suggested the idea of a
dance and making candy to pass around during the dance as an incentive
for a good "turn-out" of couples.
With the help of her aunt, Jane Raycraft Campbell, and the
female populous of Genoa, delicious samples of candy really made the
evening special. Of course, the midnight supper served at the Raycraft
Hotel was, as always, a culinary delight. So, if the candy did not
entice people to join in the fun, the midnight supper was surely an
incentive.
The Genoa community did raise the needed funds for streetlights,
but realized the monthly electric bill had to be paid. The candy makers
were then called upon each year to help promote the "Candy Dance" and
pay a year's worth of electricity for the streetlights throughout the
town. This annual event became the "Big Event of the Season." Couples
came from Reno, Carson City, Minden, Gardnerville and surrounding areas
to join in the evening's fun.
The Arts & Crafts Faire was added in the 1970s, and later
became a two-day event. The first Faire was held on the front lawn of a
private residence in Sierra Shadows on Genoa Lane with twelve vendors. A
few years later the popular Faire was moved to the Mormon Station
Historic State Monument grounds. Expanding proved necessary and now
Faire exhibitors are also found along Nixon Street, and along the sides
of Genoa Lane and Main Street. With all the people visiting the Faire
these days, the streets in and out of Genoa are temporarily closed
during the day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Shuttles bring people from the main
parking lots on Genoa Lane and Foothill Road, as well as the limited
parking lot at the Genoa Cemetery. There is also a shuttle that runs
from the Carson Valley Inn and Douglas High School to the Genoa Lane
parking lot.
The "Candy Dance" is still held each year with music from a
live band playing everything from rock-n-roll, country-western, swing
and hop to waltzes for all ages. Everyone is invited to the Saturday
night dinner and dance. A limited number of tickets are sold to the
event. 2009's dinner-dance in Genoa Park was a huge success with over
700 tickets sold. However, cold weather does reduce attendance at the
outdoor dinner-dance.
Generation after generation has continued the candy making and
Faire tradition. The funds raised by the Town of Genoa during the Candy
Dance weekend provide a substantial portion of the town's annual budget.
We will be celebrating the "Candy Dance" as long as we have volunteers
to keep it going, and we thank all our volunteers for their hard work.
Visit: www.visitcarsonvalley.org for more information
