The community pitched in to organize the dinner-dance to help raise the necessary funds to purchase the lights for the safety and wellbeing of everyone in town. The Genoa "Candy Dance" originated in 1919 as an effort to raise money to purchase street lights for the small, but enterprising community of Genoa, Nevada's first settlement. Lillian Virgin Finnegan, daughter of then prominent Judge Danie
l Webster Virgin, suggested the idea of a dance and making candy to pass around during the dance as an incentive for a good "turn-out" of couples. The Genoa community did raise the needed funds for streetlights, but realized the monthly electric bill had to be paid. The candy makers were then called upon each year to help promote the "Candy Dance" and pay a year's worth of electricity for the streetlights throughout the town. Couples came from Reno, Carson City, Minden, Gardnerville and surrounding areas to join in the evening's fun. The Arts & Crafts Faire was added in 1974, and later on it became a two-day event. The first Candy Dance Faire was held on the side lawn of the historic Kinsey House with just twelve vendors attending (property situated just east of the Mormon Station State Park on Genoa Lane). Expanding proved necessary and the popular Faire was moved to the Mormon Station Historic State Monument grounds. Today, the Faire exhibitors are also found along the streets and spaces covering a major portion of the downtown area. The annual Genoa Candy Dance and Arts & Crafts Faire event is scheduled for the last full weekend in September. With the large numbers of visitors attending the Faire these days, the three main streets in and out of Genoa are temporarily closed on Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. Shuttles transport people from the main parking lots on Genoa Lane, Foothill Road and the limited parking lot at the Genoa Cemetery to the downtown area. The Candy Dance itself is held on Saturday night, starting with a no-host bar at 4:30 p.m. followed by the buffet dinner served from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Music and dancing start during dinner and end at 10 p.m. Tickets begin selling in early September.
