Reno: Early Bird Neon Speaks Symposium Pass

It's the main event! Join us in Reno for the neon symposium, preservation panels, film events, guided museum tours, and more!
About this Event

Neon Speaks goes to Reno in 2026! We are excited to support and celebrate a soft opening of Will Durham’s Light Circus Neon Museum. We're bringing the Neon Speaks Festival & Symposium to this museum in Reno, NV for a glowing 3-day schedule. Events will include symposium presentations, preservation panels, film, quiz, guided museum tours, and the sparkling collection of vintage neon in the museum.

Fri, Sept 11 | Welcome Reception & Museum Overview: 7–9 pm

Sat, Sept 12 | Panel discussions, presentations, neon quiz, lunch, and film events including Nevada's Cinematic Neon by Randall & Al: 10 am–4 pm

Sun, Sept 13 | Panel discussions, presentations, lunch, museums tours, and film screening of Lawerence Johnston's feature film "NEON": 10 am–4 pm

The Light Circus museum is located in downtown Reno in an expansive museum space on the ground floor of the National Bowling Stadium. (While we are excited about the Reno roadtrip, our hearts are still in San Francisco--Neon Speaks will be at the Roxie Theater on September 19.)

These iconic neon letters above and the neon logo character "Bucky" for the Nevada Club below are just a few of the highlights of the Light Circus Neon Museum collection. Photos by Will Durham

Neon Speaks' symposium lineup is still under development. Some of the talented participants for 2026 include:

• David Barnett, Noble Signs, NY Sign Museum, Brooklyn NY
• Stephen Coles, Letterform Archive, San Francisco
• Jude Cook, Ignite Sign Museum, Tucson
• Heather David, Cal-Mod Books, San Jose
• Will Durham, Light Circus Nevada Neon Museum, Reno NV
• Paul Greenstein and Dydia DeLyser, , Los Angeles
• Kathy Kikkert, , Los Angeges
• Eric Lynxwiler, Museum of Neon Art, Los Angeles
• Todd Matuszewicz, Morey's Neon, Denver
• Shawna Peterson, Peterson Neon, SF Bay Area
• Katherine Rinehart, Petaluma Signs Project, Petaluma CA
• Steven Spiegel, Signs United, Los Angeles
• Debra Jane Seltzer, RoadsideArchitecture.com

Photos above, top to bottom:

• Neon Speaks 2024 at the Verdi Club by Al Barna
• Neon Speaks 2023 at the Great American Music Hall by Al Barna
• Neon Speaks 2023 at the Great American Music Hall by Will Hansen