Sands Connect will be a brand-new gathering space on West Fourth Street located between Gold Dust West and Sands Regency as part of Reno’s Neon Line District. The area will include a festival tent and an open promenade. Additionally, the perimeter of the Sands Connect will feature phase two of Reno’s Neon Line, including historic Reno neon signs as well as Burning Man art installations. The space activates West Fourth Street by providing a location for community events, festivals, private gatherings and more. Construction will begin March 1, 2020.
Sands Connect will encompass an open promenade with two monumental Burning Man art installations as well as nine iconic Reno neon signs that pay homage to the city’s past. Sands Connect will be completed in the spring of 2020.
The two additional sculptures to be added into Reno’s Neon Line include:
Broken But Together by Michael Benisty, a 22-foot silver, reflective couple holding hands symbolizing the ability of imperfect people finding solace in a relationship
Polar Bear by Don Kennell and Lisa Adler, a 35-foot polar bear composed of scrap car hoods helping shed light on habitat preservation.
Additionally, the project will include a beer garden located near Polar Bear, selfie areas and an open promenade with a picnic area and outdoor stage. The east side of the property will be transformed into an exhibit space for RV shows, outdoor shows, farmers’ markets, overflow parking for events and more. Patrons will also be able to enjoy delicious bites from circulating local food trucks.
The Nystrom House will be placed on the west side of the property. The nearly 150-year-old gothic-style home served as a divorce boarding house, assisting divorce-seekers needing to fulfill residency requirements in order to begin divorce proceedings. The Nystrom house will be the property’s food and beverage hub and redesigned with porches to create an open bar concept.
Sands Connect will host nine confirmed multi-day events in 2020, and more than double to around 20 events in the following year. This year’s Sands Connect events include:
June 5 - 7: Reno Art Fest at Sands Connect
July 3 - 5: Red, White & Brew at Sands Connect
August 6 - 9: Sierra Nevada European Car Festival at Sands Connect
August 28 - 29: Camp Tiny Houses at Sands Connect
September 4 - 6: Labor Day Weekend Party at Sands Connect
September 7 - 9: Playa Transition at Sands Connect
September 11 - 12: Little Hero’s at Sands Connect
September 19 - 20: Taco Fest at Sands Connect
September 25 - 27: Street Vibrations at Sands Connect
Check out high resolution renderings below.
Bring Street Vibrations back to Virginia Street! Reno tried this once before and it was fail. Who wants to hang outat the sands?