It seems like the Halloween decorations and events get started earlier and earlier each year. That just means more ways to keep the kids busy! We have all the greatest ways to celebrate here.

Silver Valley Farm Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin patch, corn maze, tire jungle, hay rides and more.

• Where: 3995 Bacon Rind Road, Reno (north of Spanish Springs)
• When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday through Oct. 31.
• Extra detail: Long pants & shoes required in pumpkin patch.
• Info: silvervalleyllc.com

Laughter House

This kid-friendly companion to Slaughterhouse promises "Halloween fun without the frights." There's a trick-or-treat train ride in the ballpark, Halloween maze and photo booth.

• Where: Greater Nevada Field, 250 Evans

All women, all entrepreneurs, all inspired.

Inspire Reno is changing up the business game for women in Reno. Susan Ackerman was struck with a vision when she attended an all-women entrepreneur event. After seeing folks listening attentively to a workshop leader, huddled around tables networking over coffee, a room full of like-minded people who are chock-full of ideas, she knew. She went to the owner and asked to lease the building housing the event, a historic mansion disguised as an office building along the Truckee River in downtown Reno.

From that, Inspire Reno, a women’s entrepreneurial development center, was born. Ackerman is an author, speaker, motivator and entrepreneur in her own right. When she got the go-ahead to lease the 3,900

The new Business Improvement District in downtown Reno will provide public safety, cleaning and marketing services.

Based on the assessed value of their property, owners in the district will be charged a fee to fund a private organization to provide these services. The new fee will replace two special property tax assessments already paid by most property owners in the proposed downtown district and will generate over $2 million for the private, non-profit organization to maintain the area.

The organization will be run by a private board of directors selected by a nomination committee. The nominating committee will be run by a group of downtown business activists. Ambassadors will be hired to greet tourists in the district and to provide public

Reno has a wide offering of concerts, theater, comedy and more this Spring! Click the linked headings below to purchase tickets for the event.

MUSIC

Starship featuring Mickey Thomas

March 3 @ 8pm

The Celebrity Showroom, The Nugget

Thomas was the lead voice on songs such as “Jane”, “No Way Out”, “We Built This City” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”. Rock out to these ‘80s commercial peaks!

Classix Five: Italian Festival

March 11 @4pm & March 13 @ 7:30pm

Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts

The Reno Philharmonic continues its season for its fans of Italian classical composers. They will welcome guest conductor Alvise Casellati, with selections from Verdi, Bellini, Puccini, Rota and others.

Boyz II Men

March

Reno’s core has developers dropping millions of dollars on new projects.

Many buildings in Reno’s downtown and Midtown are being replaced and updated by exciting urban developments. Developers have said in many interviews through 2016 that it only takes a few large early adopters to spur others to join them in changing the neighborhoods.

These are seven developments to keep your eye on in 2017.

Photo courtesy of RGJ

3rd Street Flats

3rd Street Flats is the newest residential project completed in the center of downtown Reno. The former Kings Inn hotel has been transformed into an apartment building with retail that will open early this year. The Flats are one of the few new rental properties in downtown. While the area does see