A half-mile from downtown Carson are the Carson City Community Center and Mills Park, places arguably as important to residents as the Capitol building and downtown strip. Mills Park is the hub for everything outdoors, while the Community Center is a large venue for concerts and performances.
Photo: The Carson & Mills Park Railroad is a kid favorite in Mills Park. Photo from Carson City Pix Facebook
Mills Park
Fifty-one-acre Mills Park is a hive of activity all year-round.
This is where you'll find the Carson Farmer’s Market, running from May through September in a large, covered area, with live music and a long list of vendors selling everything from produce and artisan crafts to wild-caught fish and locally raised meat.
The Nevada State Fair also takes place in Mills Park. Spanning the summer months, the fair brings carnival rides, games and food into the center of Carson City and with no public entry fee and free parking.
Then there’s the Carson City Railroad Association’s Train, which runs through Mills Park. It's a miniature, kid-focused train that circles Mills Park in the summer, allowing you to take in the sights and sounds of the State Fair in Old West style.
Photo: New to Mills Park as of August 2026, the Mills Park Pickleball Courts are a popular addition. Photo courtesy Carson City Parks, Recreation & Open Space Department Facebook
Besides special events, Mill Park offers things to do every day. The park has endless walking trails, a skate park, pavilions, pickleball courts, sand volleyball areas, horseshoe courts, shady areas covered by thick oak trees, streams winding through the park, bocce ball courts, a playground, the historic Wungnema House and access to the nearby Carson Aquatic Facility. Dogs are allowed as long as they're on-leash.
Image: Carson City has plans for a $14.9 million renovation to Mills Park. With construction to begin next year, renovation highlights include a splash pad, a dog park, a fitness trail, an arboretum, a concession stand, expanded parking, a large playground and improved vegetation. Image from Carson City Pix Facebook
Mills Park
1111 E. William Street, Carson City
Open Dawn to Dusk
Photo: Carson City Community Center features a 10,000-square-foot gymnasium, a classroom, a kitchen, two meeting rooms, two fitness classrooms and the 587-seat Bob Boldrick Theater. Photo courtesy Carson City Community Center Facebook.
Carson City Community Center
Indoor events take place at the Carson City Community Center, right next to Mills Park and sharing its parking lot.
One of the most frequent uses of the Community Center is for cultural events in the 587-seat Bob Boldrick Theater, often classical music by the Carson City Symphony.
The best thing is how intimate these events feel. There is time to mingle with people, both young and old, even the entertainers themselves, so if you are from Reno and expecting something similar to the dazzling Grand Sierra Resort (GSR) events, you’ll be surprised that these feel a lot more like family fun (though still of very high quality).
Photo: Bob Boldrick Theatre inside the Carson City Community Center hosts numerous music, theater, dance, arts and educational events throughout the year. Photo: Bob Boldrick Theatre Facebook
Here is a list of the cultural events coming up at the Carson City Community Center through the rest of the year. The complete list of events and all the details you need are available on the CarsonCity.gov website and include concerts, theater and dance events multiple times a week throughout the year, making this truly a busy little venue at the heart of Carson’s community.
October 14: Carson High School Choir and Musical Theater Concert
October 17: Sierra Nevada Ballet presents Dracula: The Ballet
October 20: Carson City School District String Orchestras Concerts
October 21: Carson City High School Bands Concert
October 22: Candlelight: Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Candlelight: Halloween Classics
October 25: Carson City Symphony Concert
November 6 to 22 (select dates): Western Nevada Musical Theater Company presents Les Misérables
November 27 to 29: Nevada Dance Company presents The Nutcracker
December 1: Carson High School Fine Arts Musical Theater Concert
December 2: Carson High School Fine Arts Choir Concert
December 5: Sierra Nevada Ballet presents The Peanutcracker
December 6: Carson City Community Band Holiday Concert
December 8: Carson City School District Strings Orchestras Concert
December 9: Carson High School Fine Arts Band Concert
December 10: Symphony Youth Strings and Symphony Youth Chorus Concert
December 11: The Dance Place Nevada Winter Showcase
December 13: Carson City Symphony Holiday Concert
December 15 & 16: St. Teresa School Holiday Production
December 19: Youth Theatre Carson City Showstoppers Winter Spectacular
December 20: Candlelight Concerts in Carson City
Carson City Community Center
851 E. William Street, Carson City
(775) 887-2290
About the Author Dan Bablinskas
Dan Bablinskas is a relentlessly curious person with a passion for travel, foreign languages, affordable food and lodgings, well-fashioned cappuccinos and refreshing craft brews. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in creative writing, he traveled through Europe and South America while working as an English teacher and travel blogger. After trying a number of different careers, he settled into technical and content writing for his day job. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring the Reno-Tahoe area by foot, car, bike and ski. He lives in Reno with his wife and two kids. 
