Eureka’s history, wine and community come together

Historic downtown Eureka came alive on Sept. 19 for the 2026 Art, Wine and Music Fest. Locals and visitors explored 21 wine-pour stations and 13 art vendors while enjoying live music, a trail run, tours of historic buildings and tunnels, raffles and other community activities.

One of the highlights included the raffle of a heritage quilt handcrafted by local artist Patti Benson. The quilt featured many of Eureka’s historic buildings. Benson designed and quilted the quilt to raise money for the event’s organization, Eureka Restoration Enterprise. Her generosity brought in nearly $2,000 in ticket sales.

“We really appreciate Patti’s time and dedication,” said Laurel Marshall, one of the organizers of the event. “It’s a beautiful quilt and created a lot of excitement as well as a great way to end the day.”

This year two new additions were added to the list of pour stations. One of these, BoHo Beauty, a salon owned by Shelby Stephenson, is located in the old post office building on the corner of Main and Gold Streets.

Another new stop, the Repetto Vault, located in the basement below the Eureka Depot, included samples from local distiller James Drayton. Other buildings, including a stop at the Eureka Merchantile and also at the Paxton & Co. buildings, opened for visitors during the walk.

“It’s great to see these buildings open,” noted Darlene Moody, who helped organize the event. “Eureka has a lot of history, and these buildings are a great way to share that part of Eureka.”

The day began with the annual Dig Deep Trail Run organized by DiVA Farms owners Deanne, Denise and Dusty Moyle, which saw 23 participants and featured both a 5K and 10K run.

Local musicians performed throughout the festival. Two Blokes and a Squeezebox played from the Jackson House balcony, while the Dead Frets closed the day at Veterans Park. Kim Russell performed cello at the Sentinel Museum; guitarists Norm Harris of Round Mountain and Jay Dalton of Elko County played along the route and Rodney Harney’s band, the Desert Renegades, entertained vendors and visitors at Veterans Park.

Other events included local vendors featuring an array of goods from sourdough to soaps and woodworking items. Local business Afterlife Antiques & Oddities provided tours of the underground tunnels, a popular attraction for tourism.

Proceeds from the event will support Main Street revitalization, including repairs and improvements to the historic Charles Lautenschlager Building, home to the Eureka Depot and Economy Drug.

Thanks to generous mining industry sponsors, the Eureka Recreation Board, county staff, local donors and dedicated volunteers, the event brought history, art and community spirit together for a memorable day in Eureka, Nevada.