Most people still think of Reno as a “Mini Vegas,” a place filled with aging casinos, dusty desert highways, and convenient airport access for getting to Lake Tahoe. But spend a summer night walking along the Truckee River walk or through its quirky Midtown and you’ll see a different Reno. Its motto, “The Biggest Little City in the World,” fits. It’s a small city remaking itself with color, creativity, and community, not to mention hotels that break from the gaming script. If you’re stuck on any old vibes or bad reputations, you might start changing your tune along with the locals. There’s no better event to brighten that tune than Artown, an annual month-long festival that takes over the city each July.
Photo: Visit Reno Tahoe
Reno's Artown Festival Is the Best Reason to Visit the City in the Summer
Reno is a city coming into its own
Photo: Visit Reno Tahoe
“Have you been to this new restaurant?” “Did you see that show last night?” “You have to go to this bar. It’s so good.”
All are frequent discussion points in the city’s coffee shops and cafes. At the heart of this cultural shift is Artown, Reno’s annual month-long celebration of the arts that draws more than 300,000 attendees. Every July, the city becomes an interactive artistic experience. Historic post office steps transform into sculptural installations, parks become concert halls, streets become dance floors, and hospital lawns host outdoor jazz concerts. There are fashion shows made from recyclable materials, hands-on crafts for kids, food and music pairings, and more than 600 events citywide.
As it celebrates its 30th year, Artown is still going strong, this year’s closing week showcasing performances by Rhiannon Giddens, The SteelDrivers, and Clarence Bekker and the C-Bees. Whether you’re road-tripping to Tahoe or flying in for a weekend escape, Reno is worth more than a pit stop, especially in July.
“Artown is a giant celebration of the arts that lasts an entire month,” says Beth Macmillan, the festival’s executive director since 2003. “We want to be fully inclusive, not exclusive.”
Macmillan, who holds leadership roles with national arts organizations, was named a Woman of Achievement by the Nevada Women’s Fund in 2023 and has received multiple awards from the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada. She is as much a part of Artown’s identity as the performances themselves. She believes deeply in the transformative power of the arts, in making them accessible to everyone, and in the idea that art can connect us all.
Free art for literally everyone
Photo: Visit Reno Tahoe
I met with Macmillan over a sweaty glass of water and a late lunch at Wild River Grille, where she absolutely beamed while describing this year’s events. Her passion for art was clear.
“We’re not trying to be an elite arts experience,” she said. “We want everyone to be able to take part.”
In major cities, theater show tickets can cost an arm and a leg once you factor in ticketing fees. Kids’ summer art camps cost a small fortune. Performing arts classes can eat into your annual budget—especially when costumes are involved. So a month of free, family-friendly programming feels like a lifeline. Here, it’s a way to connect the community and give families something meaningful (and affordable) to do.
About 70 percent of Artown events are free. That means you can take a professional ukulele lesson, catch a movie under the stars, jump into an improv class, or enjoy live Irish music—all without opening your wallet. In a city long associated with gambling and spending, that affordability is intentional. And it’s part of what makes Artown feel so different from most arts festivals, where ticket prices and exclusivity can shut people out.
Macmillan tells me she wants seniors to feel comfortable going to a show alone, parents to bring their kids to try painting, roller skating, or dance, and families to enjoy concerts for “just the cost of a hot dog.” Many events are located along public park routes, so even those without cars can attend.
Redefining Reno’s cultural landscape
Photo: Visit Reno Tahoe
“Public art is a magnet for community. It changes the cultural landscape—even beyond July,” Macmillan says.
Artown curates around 60 events, bringing in international performers and artists. The rest—hundreds of them—are put on by local creatives, nonprofits, and venues. From drum circles to architecture tours, and from dance performances to immersive storytelling, programming spreads across city streets, museums, restaurants, and even hospital pavilions.
And locals genuinely look forward to it. “Dancing in the street is my favorite Artown event,” says Danielle Stroup, a Reno local and recent university grad who now works with the Reno Housing Authority. “I look forward to it every single year.”
Pick up Artown’s “little blue book” and you’ll find something happening every single day in July.
Artown’s community impact goes well beyond performances. One night, I attended one of the nighttime events that raises money for Recycle the Runway, held at the National Automobile Museum. Designers created fashion from recycled materials, modeled by women from Dress for Success, a local nonprofit that teaches job readiness and professional skills.
It’s one of many events that show how Artown’s impact extends beyond the stage and into the community. The festival also drives income for small businesses across Reno—from coffee shops and bookstores to bars and boutiques that see a welcome uptick in foot traffic, in an effort to connect us all.
Artown intends to be art for all
Photo: Visit Reno Tahoe
“I believe at my very core that we’re all artists, from the moment we get out of bed in the morning,” Macmillan tells me. “When we get dressed, when we cook, when we garden. Even picking a pink toothbrush instead of a green one—that’s an artistic decision.”
That philosophy shapes every Artown event. Each weekday morning, kids can try something new—watercoloring, ballet, drumming, puppetry. One culinary event paired a themed meal with a film screening, serving dinner on jailhouse trays. Another invited a professional ukulele player to teach a class where emerging young musicians could ask questions in an interactive session.
The goal isn’t just to entertain. It’s to help people explore what art is and what it means to them. “Even if you’re carrying heartache,” Macmillan says, “I want you to leave Artown with happiness in your heart, and knowing this is a good world.” 