Frequently Asked Questions 

What is the Spotlight Awards Gala? 

PBS Reno's annual gala and community awards show “spotlights” individuals and community groups making a positive impact in our region. As the station's largest fundraiser of the year, PBS Reno will also have an auction featuring enticing and exciting packages that support PBS Reno’s mission to Entertain Your Curiosity.

PBS Reno is thrilled to share that this year our Extraordinary Philanthropists are  Nick & Debbie Rossi. Proud Nevadans, Nick & Debbie Rossi have a deep dedication supporting nonprofits in our community. Nick Rossi is the founder and president of LP Insurance.

When and where are the Spotlight Awards & Auction?

Friday, September 18th, 2026 at the Reno Ballroom.

When does the event start? 

Doors open at 5:00pm.

What does this event support? 

Support for this event helps PBS Reno continue providing the educational and enriching programming you love. We provide PBS national programming and award-earning, locally-produced content, with many local segments posted weekly to PBS Reno’s YouTube Channel. PBS Reno serves students, teachers, parents and caregivers through immersive educational services including Curiosity Classroom Workshops that bring classroom lessons to life with standards-based lessons and activities. Through the support of local corporations and foundations, as well as thousands of individual members, we have been delivering public television and educational services to the communities we serve.

What are the Spotlight Awards? 

We will present awards in five different categories: Extraordinary Student, Educator, Business, Community Group, and Individual. Nominations are open to the community in March. Finalists are chosen from those nominations before voting opens to the public on July 1st. Winners are announced in-person on September 18th. 

What is the dress code? 

Semi-formal attire. 

How can I support this event? 

There are many ways to support PBS Reno with this event! The Spotlight Awards Gala is a great way to connect with our community, be it announcements promoting your business, sponsoring an award category, or through our online auction. PBS Reno will be promoting sponsors heavily on-air, online, and on our social media platforms throughout the buildup to the gala.

Sponsorship Opportunities are available by contacting Sam Eigenman at seigenman@pbsreno.org. 

Auction Donation information is available HERE. 

When do I need to give my table names and meal choices?

Please ensure we receive this information by September 7th. Since we need to provide meal counts to our venue, this will make sure that they are ready for you to enjoy your evening.

You will be provided with an RSVP link to submit names and meal choices to us in advance. It is most important we know their name, meal choice, and mobile phone number so that your guests can easily check-in at the event.

What will we be eating? 

We will have a beef and seafood duet. We will have a vegetarian/vegan meal option available upon advanced request. Please ensure you fill out your RSVP form to ensure we know which meal you require.

If you have any unique dietary restrictions, please contact Holly Hutchinson at 775.600.0548 or hhutchinson@pbsreno.org.

Are children allowed at the event? 

Children 12 and up are welcome.