On Saturday, October 28, 2023, the Annual Nevada Day Parade and festivities took place as it always does in Carson City; it’s one of the largest celebrations of statehood in the nation, drawing 30,000 people to the state capital for this one-day event.
This year’s parade included 228 entries making their way down Carson Street on the mile-long route, fully-lined with people on both sides. One of the entries was Saint Sebastian Serbian Orthodox Church, the first Orthodox Church in Carson City. Fr. Norman Kosanovich and nineteen parishioners walked and waved to the crowd behind a banner that is a reproduction of the lighted sign at the church location.
At eight different points on the parade route, announcers read the following prepared script: “The Orthodox Christian Church was established by Jesus Christ, handed down to His Apostles, and described in the New Testament. Saint Sebastian was a missionary Orthodox priest who traveled throughout northern Nevada at the turn of the twentieth century. Inquiry classes about Orthodox Christianity are held at the church and visitors are welcome at our services: check the community page on CarsonNow.org, our website, or our Facebook page.”
Following the parade, parishioners sold arts & crafts and items from the Forerunner Bookstore at a vendor table, and provided free pamphlets on Orthodox Christianity to visitors. Throughout the afternoon, discussion centered on plans for participating in next year’s event!