Everyone's a Local in Virginia City the Third Thursday of Every Month |
The third Thursday of every month, everyone is a local in Virginia city. Shops and attractions are staying open late so people can experience what the town has to offer after dusk.
"We're super excited to have it; it encourages people to come during the week to spend a little bit of time here in Virginia City," said Whitney Brunson, Special Events Coordinator for Piper's Opera House. "A lot of the hotels also offer discounts, so that's a great option if people want to stay the night."
As the town gears up for the busy Summer season, they're encouraging everyone to take a drive up to see the sights and support the local businesses that have made it through the last year.
"They've been troopers through this whole thing," Brunson said. "We haven't lost a business due to COVID, so it's pretty miraculous. Storey County is just really doing well with safety and all that, so we're really proud of this town and what they've been able to accomplish through this last year."
Here, every building has a story. Like Piper's Opera House, one of the most significant vintage theaters in the West.
"It's been here since 1885," Brunson said. "Its actually been rebuilt; this is the third opera house for Virginia City. It's burned down a couple of times but the the third time is a charm and we're happy to have it."
Like a lot of the buildings here, it's rumored to have its share of ghosts.
"They're super friendly," Brunson said. "They don't really bother anyone, they're just here for a show like everyone else."
And there are plenty of chances to go exploring there. Piper's hosts all kinds of special events, from weddings to country dancing to bingo.
"And when we're not doing events, we're open for tours so people can come and learn about the history of Piper's Opera House," Brunson said.
It's a standing Thursday night invitation to experience the town like the locals do.
"People live here, it's an actual town," Brunson said. "We have over 800 residents, so we're encouraging our own people to come and have a good time, go to bingo, have dinner at one of the locations in town, the restaurants are open so you can do it all up here."
