Saturday, November 1, 2014

Happy Nevada Day! er... I mean Happy Halloween!




In Nevada, we celebrate our day of statehood---which happens to be the same day as Halloween.
I am not aware of any other state which celebrates it's statehood in the same way as Nevadan's do.  In fact, I grew up in Washington State and I had never heard of a 'state day' until I moved to Nevada  in 1981.




I love it.  Both the celebration and the state.  I also love to hear stories about other people's love of their home states.  I would love to hear yours.
My friend Michelle at the blog,  ms enPlace writes frequently about her love of her home state,  Louisiana.  I love it so much.  I love seeing it thru her eyes.
My friend Sally Doyle in Pennsylvania talks lovingly about her home thru her letters to me.  Again: I LOVE IT! 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Nevada goes way out to celebrate their 'day'.  Maybe I am wrong....maybe every state does it and  I don't know about it because I don't live there.  It's a state holiday.  No school, government offices are open.  It's a festive holiday with parades and  parties.  And no school.  Did I say that?  When we first moved here and didn't really know about Nevada Day, my kids thought they got Halloween off of school!  They loved it.

This year Nevada celebrated 150 years of statehood---we were born during the civil war, hence the 'battle born'.  Abraham Lincoln needed another non-slave state and we had lots of silver and gold that the federal government  desperately needed at the time.




One of the state wide goals this year  was to get into the book of records by having the largest group ever sing their state song at the same time.
So at 10am October 30th (even tho Nevada day is the 31st, state offices and schools are closed then) groups all across the state registered and gathered to sing our state song.  (you then had to document it by video and upload it to the Nevada 150 website)
Okay, so when you are in elementary school, you sing it great!  You sing it loud, you sing it proud.  We all LOVE our state song!  (home means Nevada, home means the hills.  Home means the sage and the pine)  BUT when adults have to gather to sing it--- it is PAINFUL!!!  (but fun!  and funny!  We all still love it and can sing the chorus at a moment's notice)
It was painful all across the state....I watched the videos.  No one can really carry that tune.   As you can see in this uploaded video from our Governor.  He even had professional help! 




And?   We DID IT!  We set a record for the most everyone singing the state song at the the same time!  Woo hoo! 

One of the most fun things I got to do on Nevada Day,  was tohelp judge the courthouse's annual costume contest.  This year the theme was  "Everything Nevada".  It was like a little history/geography lesson in miniature. 
It was so much fun!


****DISCLAIMER!   I am posting too many photos.  Continue on at your own risk****



First---gathering on the courthouse steps to sing our state song







All things Nevada!
by professional people working hard at their jobs in the courthouse!
Hey!  They are competing for a plaque!!  It's serious business.


Rodeos!
The Planning Dept.








Basque sheepherders  
(the Basque community is very proud and very much a part of Nevada!)
Drafting Dept






Las Vegas!
The Library
we have Marilyn Monroe in the 'Seven Year Itch"
some 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"
a mobster--complete with violin case
craps dealer
a bride and groom--for quickie weddings/quickie divorces
a gypsy fortune teller









Old West Saloons!
The District Attorney's office
(I hope they didn't have court today!)









Mountain Men!
Administrator's Office




Area 51!
Treasurer's Office
Everyone knows the aliens landed in Nevada!  The government just keeps it a secret.










Civil War dress!
1864!  Battle Born  Baby!
County Recorder (and other Nevada friends)




And a bit of everything...
Assessor's office/drafting Dept.

Mark Twain
Sarah Winnemucca
Cowboys
Gold Miners 
Brothel Madams
Casinos/gambling
Hunters!









And that's Nevada in a nutshell.
Or a blog post.

To participate in Saturday Snapshot: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see.


for the record?  We do have churches and books and theater and good restaurants and agriculture and education.
Just sayin'

7 comments:

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

Wow! I obviously have not seen Nevada before...even though I have traveled there many times.

I must admit that I usually went to Reno or Vegas...and I got married a couple of times there in the Love Chapel...LOL.

I like the more rounded sense of your state. Thanks!

And thanks for visiting my blog.

B Reading said...

Wow! They really go out of their way to celebrate!

Sandra Nachlinger said...

Those were great photos of your celebrations -- NOT too many!
I was raised in Texas, and one of our major holidays was San Jacinto Day. Wikipedia says: "San Jacinto Day is the celebration of the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. It was the final battle of the Texas Revolution where Texas won its independence from Mexico. It is an official holiday in the State of Texas." Texas celebrated its sesquicentennial in 1986, but it celebrates San Jacinto Day every year.
(Probably more than you wanted to know. Right?)
Here are my Saturday Snapshots.

grammajudyb said...

Thanks for sharing your fabulous state and its celebration. I have a new friend on FB and he posted the Battle Born banner and I didn't "get it" Now I do! Thanks!

bermudaonion said...

I've lived in quite a few states and if any of them celebrated a state day, I wasn't aware of it.

Tina said...

You make me want to move there! What fun you all have. I don't know if Florida celebrates state day or not but I am a Pennsylvania girl, no matter where I end up :-)

Sally said...

Debbie, you really need to get this little promo out there. Nevada should pay you for this great endorsement. Those of us on the East Coast only think of Las Vegas when we think Nevada, except those of us who know you! Great promo!

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