Culture

Best counterintuitive cultural attraction

Oats Park Arts Center

151 E. Park St., Fallon

We know, it doesn’t quite sound right to say, “Drive all the way to Fallon for the most memorable night on the town you’ll have all season.” But here’s how it works: Two Churchill Arts Council reps travel to a global performing arts conference in New York each winter, where they connect with acts you’ve never heard of from afar and acts you have heard of but can’t believe you’ll see on the bill in a town of 8,000. Come show date, you arrive in Fallon in the afternoon, shoot the breeze with the artist or musician over a cold draught beer during a Q+A in this artfully remodeled 1910 school building, disperse for dinner at one of a few recommended nearby eateries, reconvene for the show in what looks like a European concert hall, and during intermission stroll the galleries to check out some of the most tasteful yet adventuresome visual artwork of the contemporary West.

Best art gallery

1. Nevada Museum of Art

160 W. Liberty St., 329-3333

2. Stremmel Gallery

1400 S. Virginia St., 786-0558

3. Sierra Arts Foundation

17 S. Virginia St., 329-2787

Best church

1. Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

1138 Wright St, 323-6894

2. Grace Church

1220 Robb Drive, 747-9000

3. Living Stones

445 S. Virginia St., 622-9772

Best local dance company

1. Reno Dance Company

2. Marigold Movement Center

3. Sierra Nevada Ballet

3. A.V.A. Ballet Theatre

Best local band

1. Mojo Green

2. The Novelists

3. The Greg Golden Band

Best local band album

1. Greg Golden Band by Greg Golden Band

2. Soulphatasaxtion by Mojo Green

3. Ivory by Elephant Rifle

Best non-profit group

1. Moments of Memory

2346 Palmer Court, 848-4757

2. Nevada Humane Society

2825 Longley Lane, 856-2000

3. Food Bank of Northern Nevada

550 Italy Drive, McCarran, 331-3663

Best day trip

1. Lake Tahoe

2. Virginia City

3. Pyramid Lake

Best mural

1. “Blueprint of a Mother” by Erik Burke

Whitney Peak Hotel parking garage, 50 E. Plaza St.

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. Green Rush Eco Clothing

745 S. Virginia St., 322-4704

Best dog park

1. Rancho San Rafael Regional Park

1595 N. Sierra St., 785-4512

2. Hidden Valley Regional Park

4740 Parkway Drive, 823-6501

Best 4th of July fireworks

1. Nugget

1100 Nugget Ave., Sparks, 356-3300

2. Lake Tahoe

3. Reno Aces Stadium

250 Evans Ave., 334-4700

Best green event

1. Earth Day

2. Great Basin Community Food Co-op Seedling Sale

2. Moments of Memory

Best dance instructor

1. Lesa Dusich

2. Allison Prater

3. Nayte Tavcar

Best radio station

1. 100.1 KTHX

2. 88.7 KUNR

3. 89.1 KJIV

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., 813-8900

Best independent art gallery

1. The Holland Project

140 Vesta St., 742-1858

2. Never Ender Boutique & Art Gallery

25 St. Lawrence Ave., 348-9440

3. Reno Art Works

1995 Dickerson Road, 391-0278

3. Artists Co-op Gallery of Reno

627 Mill St., 322-8896

Best local farm

1. Urban Roots

3001 W. Fourth St., 636-5105

2. Girlfarm/Grow for Me Sustainable Farm

1400 Long Valley Road, 221-0001

3. Andelin Family Farm

8100 Pyramid Way, Sparks, 530-8032

Best kept secret

1. One Nevada Credit Union

1296 E. Plumb Lane, 827-3880

2. Love Ranch

95 Kit Kat Drive, Mound House, 246-7252

2. Imbib Custom Brews

785 E. Second St., 470-5996

Most environmentally conscious company

1. Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful

2000 Del Monte Lane, 851-5185

2. Patagonia

8550 White Fir St., 746-6878

3. Great Basin Community Food Co-op

240 Court St., 324-6133

Best comedy troupe

1. The Utility Players

Best local Instagram account

1. Amplified Entertainment

@amplifiedent

2. Reno Instagrammys

@renoinstagrammys

3. Reno is Rad

@renoisrad

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 U.S. 395 North, New Washoe City, 800-1906

Best monthly event

1. Wine Walk

2. First Thursday at the Nevada Museum of Art

3. Food Truck Friday

Best non-casino thing to do downtown

1. Downtown Riverwalk

2. Float/play/walk by the Truckee River

3. Artown

Best charity race or walk

1. Moms on the Run

2. Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

3. Nevada Humane Society Duck Race and Festival

Best place to people watch

1. Downtown Riverwalk

2. Virginia Street Bridge

3. Reno-Tahoe International Airport

Best local website

1. www.amplifiedent.com

2. www.downtownmakeover.com

3. www.nevadahumanesociety.org

Best open mic

1. Open Spike Night at Pignic Pub & Patio

235 Flint St., 376-1948

2. 3rd Street Bar

125 W. 3rd St., 323-5005

3. The Jungle

246 W. First St., 329-4484

Best reason to live in Reno

1. The weather/seasons/climate

2. The people/community

3. Outdoor recreation

Best talk show host

1. Oliver X, KNEZ

2. Rob, Anybody & Dawn, KDOT

3. Dan Mason, KKOH

Best place to meet gay singles

1. 5 Star Saloon

132 West St., 329-2878

2. Our Center

1745 S. Wells Ave., 624-3720

Best special event at Lake Tahoe

1. Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival

2. 4th of July Fireworks

Best special event in Virginia City

1. Virginia City International Camel Races

2. Rocky Mountain Oyster Festival

3. World Championship Outhouse Races

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 in downtown Reno

1. Artown

2. Hot August Nights

3. Nevada Humane Society Duck Race and Festival

Best public art

1. “Believe” sculpture in Reno City Plaza

2. Nevada Museum of Art

160 W. Liberty St., 329-3333

3. Reno Sculpture Festival