Hot music and good times warm up cold winter nights at Bartley Ranch Regional Park as Washoe County Regional Parks and Open Space offers the annual Come in from the Cold Family Entertainment Series on Saturday nights from January 8 through March 12, 2011.

The series kicks off with an evening of foot-tapping and hand-clapping Nevada Bluegrass for the opening night performance at 7:00 p.m. this Saturday.

This year the traditional favorites such as Richard Elloyan, Contraband, the Reno Youth Jazz Orchestra, Sierra Nevada Balalaika Folk Ensemble, Cowboy Poet Larry Maurice, and Texas Tom Weatherby with Dennis Golden will be joined by some fun new groups like Hot Club de Renaux, the Blarney Band and Homemade Jam.

Seating is limited to 280 persons. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. A $3 per person donation is encouraged to help support this and future park programs.

What: Come in from the Cold family entertainment series When: 7:00 p.m. every Saturday, January 8 through March 12, 2011 Where: Bartley Ranch Regional Park’s Western Heritage Interpretive Center 6000 Bartley Ranch Rd., Reno Cost: $3 per person donation is encouraged to help support this and future park programs

Details: Seating is limited to 280 persons; doors open at 5:00 p.m. Contact:(775) 828-6612

2011 Come in from the Cold schedule (all programs begin at 7:00 p.m.; doors open at 5:00 p.m.): January 8: Northern Nevada Bluegrass Association presents an evening of upbeat bluegrass and folk music.

January 15: Cowboy Poet Larry Maurice transports listeners back to the days of the cattle drive with poems, songs and stories that bring characters and critters from the Old West back to life.

January 22: Medical professionals who practice music as well as healing perform an evening of Celtic, Bluegrass and other “feel good” music as Contraband.

January 29: Cowboy poets and songsters Texas Tom Weatherby and Dennis Golden share music and stories learned while working the ranchlands.

February 5: Swing to the sounds of the area’s most talented middle and high school jazz musicians with the Reno Youth Jazz Orchestra.

February 12: Sierra Nevada Balalaika Folk Ensemble performs a lively program of Russian and eastern European folk music.

February 19: There is never a dry eye in the house when Richard Elloyan sings his beautiful ballads about life in the Silver State.

February 26: Beverly Colgan and Joe Venuto perform everything from bluegrass to Bach for an amazing musical experience.

March 5: A taste of the Emerald Isle comes to Bartley Ranch when the Blarney Band performs traditional Irish music.

March 12: Reno’s own eclectic Bluegrass and acoustic band Homemade Jam closes out the series with an evening of “bluegrass and beyond.”

Bartley Ranch Regional Park is managed by Washoe County’s Department of Regional Parks and Open Space. The Department’s mission is to provide exceptional parks and open space, and recreational opportunities while preserving our natural, historical and cultural resources. For more information, visit www.washoecountyparks.com