Welcome back to the pre-pandemic world. Tomorrow, May 1 almost everything gets back to almost normal except for the mask part. And it’s a great week-end for fun. The Kentucky Derby is tomorrow. It’s Arbor Day. And there’s the kewlest venue to hear FREE music.
Kentucky Derby Parties
Tomorrow is the big day. It’s the 147th Run for the Roses, the fastest two minutes in American sports. The purse is $3 million.
In the 1980s I was actually invited to attend the Derby as a guest of Makers Mark. I had written a story for them in Playboy and they were sooo happy they invited me to their Derby week-end.
There were parties galore but the actual race was the best part. The excitement was indescribable. (I’d bet the Super Bowl game is the same.) And yes, you had to wear a hat!
Sports betting is woven into the fabric of Las Vegas, so there are a plethora of places to watch the race.
Any casino sports book is a good choice. If you live in east, my favorite is the South Point Casino. It’s having a party in one of the ballrooms; the doors open at 9 am. There will be betting stations and kiosks so you don’t have to go down to the Sport Book, which is also kewl, to bet.
I don’t understand horse race betting. But if you want to learn about it, handicappers Jon Lindo and Jon Hardoon are having a webcast at 6 pm Friday to teach you how to handicap tomorrow’s Derby. The webcast is live from the South Point. https://vimeo.com/event/908154
If you live west, attend the party at Rampart Casino. The Derby party in the Sports Book is FREE. Doors open at 1.
There will be a contest for the most eye-catching hat. The prize: $250 in FREE slot play. Show up with your hat at the Buffet between 1 and 3. The casino hosts will select a winner before the race starts.
May the 4th Be With You
Tuesday is May 4. That’s Star Wars day to Star the Wars fandom. They say, “May the Fourth Be with You.” Get it?
Emporium is an arcade/bar/event venue inside Area15. You can play the Star Wars pinball machine FREE. The bar is also selling Star Wars themed cocktails, but they aren’t FREE.
The Nerd bar at Neonopolis on Fremont Street–“Where Cosplay Meets Cocktails”–is hosting its fourth annual May the 4th Costume Party. The Nerd has put together $500 in prizes and giveaways for the winners.
For the record, The Nerd has FREE bowling lanes, billiard tables and video games…even when the Fourth isn’t with you.
A Kewl New Musical Venue
Want a side of live music with that jab?
These days the best place to hear live music is at Cashman Center while you are getting your corona virus vaccine. Yep, local Las Vegas performers are back at work at a paid gig: entertaining you while you wait that interminable 20 minutes after your shot.
It started with Jon Klassenk who oversees the clinic at Cashman Center. He wanted live music to entertain the public while they waited, but he didn’t want to ask anyone to work for free.
Then one of his employees won a $2,500 contest. The catch: he had to donate the entire sum to charity.
He reached out to Sarah O’Connell, the executive director of the Henderson Symphony Orchestra. (one of my favs. They have a female conductor! But I digress.)
She hired two string players to serenade the vaccine getters.
The public loved it. So she reached out to the COVID_19 Response, Relief and Recovery Task Force for a grant. She received $50,000.
Depending on when you show up for your jab, you can hear blue grass, jazz and mariachi music in addition to the Henderson Symphony Orchestra. The musicians include:
- Mariachi Nuestras Raices
- Gamboa Jazz Trio
- Hot Club of Las Vegas
- Henderson Symphony Orchestra
The musicians play near the selfie station.
How Vegas!
Have a great week-end, Las Vegas.
((hugs)) BETH Ellyn
YOUR Las Vegas Real Estate Concierge
BS.39349
702.758.4318
yale1974@gmail.com
BA: Yale
MS: Columbia
MBA: L’ecole du Hard Knocks
Licensed in Nevada since 1996: I have previous.
When competence AND creativity matter!
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