Cerca calendar: November 2014

Cerca country celebrates Nevada, offers late-season festivals and events, and gears up for the holidays in November.

Thursday-Saturday, Zion National Park, Utah: Fall Foliage Photography. This in-depth workshop takes place at the most colorful time of the year in the park and is taught by the institute director Michael Plyler. He will concentrate on how to use a camera in full manual mode. Reservations needed. Zion Canyon Field Institute. 800-635-3959. www.zionpark.org.

Friday, Elko: Elko Nevada Day Parade. Celebrate Nevada’s 150th birthday. The parade route runs from the Crystal Theater to the Elko County Fairgrounds. 775-738-7991. www.nevada150.org.

Friday, statewide: Free admission to the Nevada State Museum, the Lost City Museum, the Nevada Historical Society, the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum and the Nevada State Railroad Museum. 775-687-4340. www.museums.nevadaculture.org.

Friday-Sunday, Beatty: Beatty Days. Celebrate the history of Beatty with three days of events, including a chili cook-off, Dutch oven cook-off, Old West shootouts, parade, wagon races, wheel barrow races and antique car show. Music and entertainment. 775-553-2424. www.beattynevada.org.

Saturday, Carson City: 76th annual Nevada Day Parade. “Happy 150th Birthday Nevada” is this year’s parade theme. More than 200 entries including marching bands, floats and entertainment. 775-882-2600. www.nevadaday.com.

Saturday, Carson City: Nevada Day Governor’s Mansion Tours. Take a tour of the Governor’s Mansion from 2 to 4 p.m. After the tour, refreshments will be served on the back lawn. 775-687-3000. www.nevada150.org.

Saturday, Zion National Park, Utah: Zion Geology Workshop. This workshop explores Zion’s past. Short hikes will take you to landslides and rockfalls to discuss how water and erosion continue shaping Zion’s landscape. Reservations necessary. Zion Canyon Field Institute. 800-635-3959. www.zionpark.org.

Nov. 5-9, Death Valley National Park, Calif.: Annual Death Valley 49ers Encampment. Highlights include seeing the wagon train and desert trail riders riding into the valley after days on the trail, cowboy poetry, 4x4 tours, Western art show, and fiddle, mandolin, banjo and guitar competitions. www.deathvalley49ers.org.

Nov. 6: Zion National Park, Utah: Thursday Trek. Join a naturalist for an introduction to the geology, flora, fauna and cultural history of Zion. Reservations necessary. Zion Canyon Field Institute. 800-635-3959. www.zionpark.org.

Nov. 8, Cedar City, Utah: Iron Mission Days. Cedar City’s birthday celebration features pioneer living skills demonstrations, lectures and guided tours. Frontier Homestead State Park Museum. 435-586-9290. www.scenicsouthernutah.com.

Nov. 8, Springdale, Utah: Butch Cassidy 10k Run and 5k walk. The 10k route runs from Springdale to the town of Grafton and the 5k starts on Bridge Road in Rockville and continues on to Grafton, a location site from “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” 435-772-3434. www.springdaletown.com.

Nov. 12-15, Cedar City and Springdale, Utah: Red Rock Film Festival. Film competitions and screenings and panel discussions. Various venues. 435-705-5555. www.ophilia.com.

Nov. 17, Flagstaff, Ariz.: Leonid Meteor Shower. This evening presentation will explain the origins of meteor showers including the Leonid. Hands-on science-based activities. Lowell Observatory. 928-233-3212. www.lowell.edu.

Nov. 17-Jan. 3, Williams, Ariz.: The Polar Express. Start a holiday tradition by taking the family to the Grand Canyon Railway this season. Participants ride the train to the “North Pole,” meet Santa Claus and take home a keepsake present. 888-848-3511. www.thetrain.com.

Nov. 20-24, St. George, Utah: Jubilee of Trees. This festival features an auction for one-of-a-kind Christmas trees, gala dinner and talent show, holiday fashion show, teddy bear birthday party and entertainment. Dixie Convention Center. 435-251-2480. www.stgeorgechamber.com.

Nov. 29-Dec. 31, Prescott, Ariz.: World’s Largest Gingerbread Village. More than 100 gingerbread structures on display in a winter wonderland that includes electric trains. Prescott Resort and Conference Center. Evenings and matinee rides. 928-776-1666. www.prescottresort.com.

Dec. 3-6, St. George, Utah: Dickens Christmas Festival. Get a jump on your Christmas shopping at unique shops while being entertained by a cast of Dickens characters such as Tiny Tim, Scrooge and Queen Victoria. Dixie Convention Center. 435-688-2990. www.dickenschristmasfestival.com.