Referred to as the city’s exciting urban renaissance, the Reno Riverwalk District runs along the Truckee River in downtown Reno, Nevada. The effort to cultivate a fun, friendly area that celebrates Reno’s arts, culture and history all year long has created a collective landmark that defines the modern community in a way that engages audiences of all types across the region.
Celebrating Reno’s Scenic Downtown River Corridor
While the history associated with the Truckee River goes back for centuries, the downtown Reno Riverwalk began in 1990 as a dedicated endeavor to highlight downtown Reno’s scenic downtown river corridor. These efforts were focused on cultivating the growth and success of small businesses within the Downtown Reno area. Numerous shops, boutiques, galleries, specialty retailers, bars and bistros define the district. The popularity of these establishments has beem driven by the various monuments and landmarks that define the Reno Riverwalk District.
The Space Whale is the most notable feature of Virginia Plaza that anchors the Riverwalk. It is a full scale stained glass humpback whale mother and calf that was designed to be a monumental testament to family as well as to humanity’s relationships with nature, time and space. Nearby is “Believe,” which is one of a series of 12-foot-high rustic, block letter word sculptures made of 4-foot-thick steel. In all, the letters span 70 feet together.
Other landmarks like the Keystone Bridge Mural and the “Portal of Evolution” have also cultivated engagement across the community, enabling the creation of restaurants, bars and taverns across the area, as well as ones that provide shopping, entertainment and lodging. These distinctions have defined an identity that resonates in ways that have impacted the hearts and minds of audiences of all types.
Pioneering Your Own Trail
The slogan of the Reno Riverwalk District is “Pioneer Your Own Trail,” showcasing the individual nature of the experiences that audiences can have across the space. These experiences highlight what it can mean to transform what might otherwise be a disparate collection of sculptures and establishments to instead become a single means of community that enables connection across the eras.
