Culture

Editors' Picks

Best instaparty

Reno Instagrammys

The social media app Instagram might just seem like a platform for narcissists, an outlet for selfies and pictures of pets and food. Yet somehow—partly inspired by a dumb pun—a group of Reno women used the app to launch an event that encapsulates and celebrates Reno's ongoing cultural renaissance. (And yeah, we agree that the city's supposed renaissance has been overhyped, but if you don't believe it's real then you haven't been paying attention to Reno's art, food, music and technology scenes.) The Reno Instagrammys is a celebration of Reno's amateur and professional photographers, and it awards trophies to users of the application in categories like “Urban Landscape,” “Dance Video” and “Home Means Nevada.” The trophies were all made by different local artists, the proceeds benefited the nonprofit organization the Holland Project, and the ceremony last summer was one of the best parties of the year. Then, in February, they topped themselves with an even better party, a masquerade called the Illuminati Ball. This year, the event, scheduled for September, has moved up to a much larger venue, the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts.

Readers' Picks

Best 4th of July fireworks

1. Nugget's Star Spangled Sparks

1100 Nugget Ave., Sparks, 356-3300

2. North Shore Lake Tahoe

3. Reno Aces Stadium

250 Evans Ave., 334-4700

Best animal shelter

1. Nevada Humane Society

2825 Longley Lane, 856-2000

2. SPCA of Northern Nevada

4950 Spectrum Blvd., 324-7773

3. Canine Rehabilitation Center and Sanctuary

555 US Hwy 395 North, Washoe Valley, 800-1906

Best art gallery

1. Nevada Museum of Art

160 W. Liberty St., 329-3333

2. Stremmel Gallery

1400 S. Virginia St., 786-0558

3. Liberty Fine Art Gallery

100 W Liberty St., 232-8079

Best mural

1. Styles of Nimh

2. Whitney Peak/Erik Burke

10 block E. Commercial Row

2. Circus-Circus murals

500 block N. Virginia St.

Best charity race or walk

1. Moms on the Run

2. Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

3. Nevada Humane Society Walk for Animals

Best church

1. Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

1138 Wright St, 323-6894

2. Living Stones

445 S. Virginia St., 622-9772

3. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada

780 Del Monte Lane, 851-7100

Best day trip

1. Lake Tahoe

2. Virginia City

3. Pyramid Lake

Best dog park

1. Rancho San Rafael Regional Park

1595 N. Sierra St., 785-4512

2. Link Piazzo Dog Park

Hidden Valley Regional Park, 4740 Parkway Drive, 823-6501

3. Sparks Marina Park

300 Howard Drive, Sparks, 353-2376

Best drag queen

1. Ginger Devine/Chris Daniels

2. Chanel/Chris Mulhern

3. Rocky Winnebago

Best independent art gallery

1. Reno Art Works

1995 Dickerson Road, 391-0278

2. Stremmel Gallery

1400 S. Virginia St., 786-0558

3. Liberty Fine Arts

100 W Liberty St., 232-8079

Best kept secret

1. Not telling!/shhh/I'd have to kill you if I told/can't tell you/can't tell it's a secret/shh be quiet I'm hunting wabbits

2. Tassell A. Neo

Best local band

1. The Novelists

2. Moondog Matinee

3. Jelly Bread

Best local band album

1. Greg Golden Band by Greg Golden Band

2. Ivory by Elephant Rifle

3. Carry Me Rosie by Moondog Matinee

Best dance instructor

1. Lesa Dusich

2. Diane Guest Hoof

3. Haleigh Hoff

3. Monique Manzo

Best local dance company

1. Reno Dance Company

2. AVA Ballet Theatre

3. Sinful Burlesque

Best local theater company

1. Brüka Theatre

99 N. Virginia St., 323-3221

2. Good Luck Macbeth

713 S. Virginia St., 322-3716

3. Reno Little Theater

147 E. Pueblo St., 329-0661

Best local website

1. www.bunnyranch.com

2. http://renomomsblog.com

3. http://nevadahumanesociety.org/

Best monthly event

1. Wine Walk

2. First Thursdays at the Nevada Museum of Art

3. Food Truck Fridays

Best neighborhood

1. Midtown

2. Old Southwest Reno

3. Northwest Reno

Best neighborhood for garage sales

1. Old Southwest Reno

2. Hidden Valley

Best non-casino thing to do downtown

1. Walk the river

2. Wine walk

3. Reno Aces

Best place to meet gay singles

1. 5 Star Saloon

132 West St., 329-2878

2. The Patio

600 W. Fifth St., 323-6565

3. Northern Nevada Pride

Best Best comedy troupe

1. Utility Players

2. Up and Atom

Best place to people watch

1. Truckee River Walk

2. Downtown Reno

3. Wingfield Park

300 W. First St.

Best radio station

1. 100.1 KTHX

2. 104.1 KRZQ

3. 88.7 KUNR

Best talk show host

1. Oliver Ex

2. Bill & Connie

3. Rob, Arnie & Dawn

Best scandal

1. Rounds Bakery's Cronuts

2. Pedro Martinez vs. the Washoe County School Board

Best reason to live in Reno

1. The weather

2. Lake Tahoe

3. Outdoor recreation

Most environmentally conscious company

1. Patagonia

8550 White Fir St., 746-6878

2. Great Basin Community Food Co-op

240 Court St., 324-6133

3. Whole Foods Market

6139 S. Virginia St., 852-8023

Best local farm

1. Lost City Farm

512 S. Center St., www.lostcityfarm.com

2. Girlfarm/Grow for Me Sustainable Farm

1400 Long Valley Road, 221-0001

3. Urban Roots

3001 W. 4th St., 636-5105

Best non-profit group

1. Moments of Memory

2346 Palmer Court, 848-4757

2. Nevada Humane Society

2825 Longley Lane, 856-2000

3. SPCA of Northern Nevada

4950 Spectrum Blvd., 324-7773

Best green event

1. Earth Day

2. Farmers' markets

Best green store

1. Great Basin Community Food Co-op

240 Court St., 324-6133

2. Whole Foods

6139 S. Virginia St., 852-8023

3. Trader Joe's

5035 S. McCarran Blvd., 826-1621

Best special event in downtown Reno

1. Artown

2. Nevada Humane Society Duck Race and Festival

3. Reno Street Food

Best special event in downtown Sparks

1. Best-in-the-West Nugget Rib Cook-off

2. Hot August Nights

3. Farmers' Markets

Best special event at Lake Tahoe

1. Shakespeare at Sand Harbor

2. Fourth of July fireworks

3. Celebrity golf

Best public art

1. Butterfly

2. Blueprint of a Mother by Erik Burke