A sparkling start to the holidays

Carson City, Nev.

Dec. 7 and 10: Upcoming events send shimmers through the Silver State. Dec. 7 brings the Silver and Snowflake Festival of Lights, when Gov. Kenny Guinn, his wife, Dema, and other revelers get festive at the circa-1870 Capitol building. Lights will blaze there and throughout downtown. Santa, carolers and snacks complement the goings-on at the Capitol, with a tree-lighting kicking things off at 5:30 p.m. The Dec. 10 Victorian Home Christmas Tour is a self-guided driving tour along the 2-mile-long Kit Carson Trail in Carson City. Fifteen historic houses are decorated, and costumed docents are on hand, with some sites offering entertainment, such as a harpist, singers, banjo strummers and a barbershop quartet that will harmonize from house to house.

Silver and Snowflake Festival of Lights at Nevada’s Capitol, 401 N. Carson St., Carson City. For info: (775) 887-1294, www.eventsnevada.com or www.visitcarsoncity.com. Home tour 1-5 p.m. Dec. 10; $25 adults, $5 children 5-12. Tickets available J.D. Roberts House, 1207 N. Carson St., and other locations, or call the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Info: (775) 882-1805.

Monterey

Dec. 8-10: A festival that’s music to the ears of restless bovines gallops onto the Monterey stage. The Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival brings together poets and balladeers for three days of shows. Among performers: Texas poet laureate Red Steagall, the Sons of the San Joaquin and the Canadian group Cowboy Celtic. The Songwriters’ Serenade is an unstructured round robin featuring four top songwriters of the genre. There also will be a Western swing dance and a sale of gear and art.

Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza, Monterey. Admission varies from $10 for the dance to $35 for one of the four main shows, $190 for an all-event pass; (800) 722-9652, www.montereycowboy.com.

Eureka and Ferndale, Calif.

Dec. 9 and 17: Chances are, if Santa drove a big rig, you’d find him at the Truckers Christmas Parade, a tradition more than 20 years old. About 70 to 100 decked-out semis are expected at this year’s event, as well as firetrucks and pickups. The vehicles will wind through the streets of the city, beginning and ending at Redwood Acres Fairground. Meanwhile, Ferndale gears up for its own holiday celebration on wheels: the Lighted Tractor Parade.

Truck parade: 6-8:30 p.m. at Redwood Acres Fairground, 3750 Harris St., Eureka; (707) 442-5744. Tractor parade: 7 p.m. on Main Street, Ferndale; (707) 786-4477.

-- Amy Hubbard

itinerary@latimes.com