Fall-elujah… Autumn is here, Main Street!

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Fall-elujah… Autumn is here, Main Street!
Can you believe the Autumn Equinox is already upon us? After experiencing the quick change in weather over the last week, the answer is a resounding YES! Fall is in the air, but don’t fret; like the other forty-two seasons this area experiences, we are definitely in a false Fall that may be followed by fake Winter and then right back to summertime sauna, all before we even hit Halloween. Alexa… please google transitional outfits for Fall.
The recent dreary weather couldn’t have come at a better time, adding to the ambiance of our ‘Autumn Leaves and Wine Please’ Fall Fest theme, the last wine walk of the year! Despite the rain, our community’s unwavering support was evident, and we had a fantastic time visiting our businesses. There was a unique buzz in the air as many of our businesses unveiled their newest projects, expanded spaces, and new locations. It’s hard not to feel a surge of pride when you witness our businesses’ impact and their vital role in our community. Our businesses are the heart and soul of our downtown, and we are so proud of what they are building together – a place for us to gather and enjoy one another.
As the Main Street Gardnerville Summer Season ends, we’re not ready to say goodbye to the fun just yet. The shorter days and cooler air are just reminders that we have more exciting activities and opportunities to look forward to. We have a few surprises in store for you that will guide you through Fall into winter, so hang in there.
Have you heard about the Annual Slaughterhouse Lane Coffin Races and Fall  Festival? If not, you’re in for a treat! This event has become a staple and tradition in welcoming Fall into our lives, and it is, by far, my favorite event we host. I love seeing the community, families, and young ones year after year build scarecrows, performing for the crowd, enjoying live music, getting their faces painted, taking a haunted hayride, and watching some coffins racing downtown at Heritage Park. Our Friend Monique De Haviland is back at the helm, helping to create an incredible lineup of music by local musicians, and our local performers, not to mention Tahoe Sleigh Rides, will be back with their Haunted Hay Rides. Nothing says welcome Fall than the Fall Festival.
We’re thrilled to have our friends at the East Fork Gallery partnering again this year with their Scarecrow Festival. East Fork Gallery has hosted its Scarecrow Festival for 35 years and combined efforts with Main Street Gardnerville five years ago to help create the incredible community event we have today. Last year, they had over 200 scarecrows built at the festival, often attended by repeat customers and generations, regularly attracting adults who participated as children, now bringing their children and grandchildren. It is so special to see this legacy live on.
As the Slaughterhouse Lane Coffin races prepare to celebrate nine years of rubbing and racing, we assure you that this year’s annual event will be the best yet! We have a special announcement about some friendly competition coming to Slaughterhouse Lane from our neighboring community, so stay TUNE’d. It’s not too late to get your Coffin built and team registered, and we hope you will help us make these the most memorable races yet.
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our generous sponsors: Carson Valley Health, Quick Space, Chase and Sheets, Carson Tahoe Health, Jacobs Berry Farm, Dixon Realty, JT Basque, Pacific Crest Dermatology, the UPS Store, Thomas Real Estate Group, Bill Hemphill, and of course, Settelmeyer Hay. Your support has been instrumental in continuing to make this event a reality, and we are truly grateful for your contribution.
Speaking of Carson Valley Health, we want to congratulate our community partner on the recent expansion of our community hospital. Growing up here, I remember a time my dad had to begrudgingly take me to the emergency room for scrapes and falls as a kid. At the time, our emergency room was located in the Stratton Center by the Garden Cemetery, where Valley Eye Care and Eyewear is now. Seeing how far we have come from that tiny “ER” to this beautiful state-of-the-art expansion our community hospital can pridefully boast was profound. Congratulations, Carson Valley Health, and thank you for executing this vision that will better serve our community for generations to come.
Congratulations are also in order for one of our local legends on Main Street, Meredith Fischer. Earlier this week, Douglas County recognized our Preservation-minded dynamo with a Spotlight Award for Historic Preservation at the recent Business Council of Douglas County Critical Issues Conference. We all know and are inspired by Meredith’s work on Eddy Street at her Vintage Market and newly reimagined space, The Warehouse, but some might not know how deep her passion for historic preservation runs. Daughter of legendary Dr. Michael Fischer and Janet Fischer, Meredith learned at an early age not only the history of our valley and Town but also the importance of cherishing pieces of history and how to act as a steward and placekeeper of these treasures entrusted to us by generation and generations before us. We are honored to have Meredith as a driving force in our organization and are very proud of her recent accomplishments. Congrats, Mere, WELL DESERVED.
Hats off to the Business Council of Douglas County for hosting another incredible Critical Issues Conference at the Tahoe Blue Event Center, Lake Tahoe’s newest jewel. The BCDC works tirelessly on behalf of our business community to ensure an environment where our economic development can thrive. Thank you, Renea Louie and your incredible team, for all you do behind the scenes for our community. And I would be remiss if I didn’t thank you and Nikki Rudleback, Douglas County Economic Vitality Director,  for the prestigious honor of being recognized as the “Cone Queen” for our efforts here at MSG during the Highway 395 reconstruction project. THANK YOU!
If historic preservation is your jam, we have an upcoming opportunity for you to see some in the making. Next Tuesday, Wednesday, September 25th, at 11:30 am, we will be celebrating the completion of our first Facade Improvement Grant Program project of the 2024/2025 cycle. Join us at 1420 US Hwy 395 Gardnerville, Nevada, at 11:30 am for a quick award presentation and meet and greet with the owners of this space, which is soon to be the Valley Merc. Javelin Ventures, LLC has recently completed a beautiful upgrade to its historic structure with vibrant new exterior paint to freshen up the aesthetic of our downtown. Come down and take a peek and learn about the exciting future this spot has in store for us.
October is right around the corner, and we will be back at it with our efforts to paint the Town pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Once again, we will partner with our community health champions at Carson Valley Health to hang pink ribbons downtown. Our flower sub-committee is working fast and furious to transform the adopt-a-pot flower pots into Pink Flower bowls. You can sponsor the pink flower bowls that will adorn the district on our website, and the funds raised will be donated to our local cancer treatment centers.
We also host our inaugural Paint it Pink 5k Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, October 19th at 8am. In place of the October Wine Walk fundraiser, this new race will donate $5 of every entry to our cancer treatment centers. This is also the final run in the We Run This Town Series. We have a lot of participants who will be completing this as the third in the series and earning themselves our limited edition I Run This Town tee shirt. As with everything we do, this fun run is costume-encouraged, and we hope to see every shade of pink as far as the eye can see. To register for the run or sponsor a flower bowl,  scroll down and click the link to learn more.
Thank you for hanging with me through all the exciting news and upcoming events. I never seem to be at a loss for words, and it’s easy to see why. There is always something happening that is worthy of celebrating in our community. This place is fantastic. We can’t wait to see you downtown at our upcoming events and visit our unique shops, businesses, and eateries. Enjoy that new highway that will get you here and stay a while. As always, spend local, tip generously, and be kind to each other.

Until next time, Main Street!