X Fest: Honoring Reno’s Art Advocate Oliver X

Photo by Sam Ray-Johnson.

Oliver X was Reno’s art advocate – a champion for the arts and local music scene here for years. I first met him around 2016, when I was working in The Basement downtown for a chocolate shop. With his signature straw hat and bandana, Oliver X was the main character in every room, ready with hugs and a smile. He was the Marketing Director for Artown, an annual month-long celebration of arts, music and culture here in the Biggest Little City, and he also was the founder of Reno-Tahoe Tonight, a magazine that was dedicated to the same subject matter in the Truckee Meadows region. Frequently involved in so much more than that, so much more that would be too long to list, whenever you spoke with Oliver X, his passion for all things creative shone through with every word and his zest for life was palpable. He truly made a difference for each person he encountered, even those like me with limited contact.  

On August 1st 2023, he suffered a stroke and was taken to the ICU. A GoFundMe was set up to assist, but 13 days later on August 14th, he unfortunately passed away. He leaves behind his partner and an entire community of friends, colleagues and supporters. There’s been an outpouring of shared stories and mourning on social media, with many of us who weren’t even close to Oliver X, deeply feeling this loss. 

It’s a heavy time for Renoites. 

This past Sunday, there was a one-day music festival held to benefit his loved ones and honor his legacy — X Fest. As you approached the Believe sign in downtown Reno, a small crowd gathered around a stage set up by our recognizable landmark, the Space Whale. With a local lineup of musicians and bands, the day was filled with song, remembrance and reflection of one man’s impact on his community around him. A sad albeit cathartic evening wrapped up with a slideshow presentation, followed by a candlelight vigil. Tears were shed, but friends and family held each other a little tighter as Oliver X’s face floated across the screen and his voice, a recording of a song he sang, carried over the crowd. 

“Love is everything,” were the lyrics, repeated over and over. 

“Take Oliver’s light and share it with everyone you know,” Shelly Brown, Oliver X’s partner, said in a last statement of the event. “That’s the best way to honor him.”  

Sometimes I think about the effect one person can have on each other’s lives. I used to believe the world could be changed one person at a time, in small ways every day. In recent years I’ve lost a lot of hope in humanity, whether through harsh circumstances or unfortunate realities, it’s been more and more difficult for me to retain that belief as I’ve gotten older. Admittedly I’ve become more of a cynic than an idealist, questioning the value of my influence upon others. I’ve certainly learned that others don’t care about their marks on me, and I’ve given up the idea that most people mean well. I’ve endured a lot in my life. 

As I sat back and observed the crowd at X Fest, it was clear to me that one man, one person, one advocate really could leave a lasting legacy on the lives they touch. You might not fully comprehend it now, but each of us carries a story that deserves to be shared. Each of us holds a light within us that deserves to shine, so that others may reignite their own, or find their way back to the path through the darkness of a cruel world.

That’s what Oliver X did for Reno, and what he leaves behind. 

I’m sure if he could see us now, he would be proud. And I hope he is. 

The GoFundMe set up in his honor is still accepting donations. As of this writing, it’s only $600 away from its goal. You can help reach that goal here.

If you have any memories to share about Oliver X, you can tag his Facebook page here.

You can check out the official X Fest Facebook page here as well.

There’s not much more for me to say, as there were so many words that have already been spoken for Oliver X. The least we all can do in his memory, is not let the hardships of life dim our lights from shining, and to keep passing the warm flame of inspiration on to those around us. If there was anything I took away from this, it was that.

“Love is everything.”