There’s a song in the Broadway play “Sunset Boulevard” called “It’s Like We Never Said Good-Bye.” To me, that’s how Las Vegas feels right now. The big names are back. Most of the shows on the Las Vegas Strip have reopened.
These shows, however, tend to be spendy. So it is my job, faithful reader, to find you fun FREE things to do in Las Vegas this week-end.
To paraphrase Miguel Brown, so many choices, so little time.
A Fun and Somber First Friday (Downtown Las Vegas)
For locals October 1 is a date etched into our souls. I first heard about the Route 91 Harvest shooting when my phone wouldn’t stop ringing, waking me up. As a transplant from Texas, all my friends and family know I love country music. They wanted to make sure I was safe, assuming I was at the festival.
I wasn’t… but one of my tenants was. She was shot in the thigh. She was a cocktail server and the scar ended her career on the Strip. One of my clients lost a co-worker.
I don’t know a local who doesn’t know someone who was shot that night.
It’s been four years since that awful night.
There will be a remembrance at the First Friday festival tonight. At 10:01 pm Mayor Carolyn Goodman will read the names of the victims. The reading will be at the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden, which we built to never forgot.
Tonight’s First Friday celebration honors those lost with the theme “One World Through Art.”
So what is First Friday? A FREE festival in the Las Vegas Arts District showcasing artists and musicians. Of course there are always food trucks and bars, because, hey this is Vegas.
Each month the festival features a local artist. Tonight’s artist is Black 47, who is going to debut an interactive mural christened “You Matter.”
What’s new and of interest to me is the new Salsa Night. There will be both live music and a DJ. If you buy food or drink at the dance, 20 percent of those sales will flow to Chicanos Por Las Causa…because it’s Hispanic Heritage Month!
I love salsa dancing but I suck at it because I have gringo hips (their description.) So I watch the local dancers with awe. Dancing with the Stars has nothin’ on them.
First Friday starts at 5 and ends at 11. The salsa dancing starts at 8.
Parade of Mischief (Summerlin)
You’d think Halloween was next week. All the houses in my neighborhood already have their Halloween decorations out. Pumpkins are everywhere.
Downtown Summerlin, the shopping center with parades for almost everything from Christmas to Chinese New Year, is launching a Halloween parade. The name: Parade of Mischief, which makes it sound even more fun.
There will be dancing zombies, ghosts, witches and wizards. FREE of course thanks to SelectHealth, the sponsor.
If you go tonight, you can take home a FREE LED pumpkin necklace. You have to use your Summerlin app. You can pick up your new jewelry at 5:30 in the ONE Summerlin Breezeway.
The parade is every Friday and Saturday night at 6:45 pm, starting tonight.
Drool Over Kewl Old Cars (Henderson)
You know you’re getting old when the cars your high school date picked you up in are now classic hot rods….
The city of Henderson is hosting Hot Rod Days today and tomorrow. Hundreds of classic, custom and muscle cars will be parked in the Water Street Plaza. The show is FREE.
I just love the look of cars from the 1950 and 1960s. So I be there.
And there’s more. The rock band Asia will perform FREE. Remember “Heat of the Moment?”
The band takes the stage at 8 pm tonight. It’s standing room only, kids.
The show revs up from 5 to 10 pm tonight and 9 am to 8 pm tomorrow. The car show awards are tomorrow at 7.
If you want to spend money, Alanis Morrissette rocks out T-Mobile Arena tomorrow night.
Saturday is Oktoberfest at Ellis Island Casino and Brewery. (Although the real Octokberfest is actually in September in Germany, but I digress.) The admission fee of $65 includes all you can drink beer.
There will be a costume contest (Alas, I can no longer fit into the Lederhosen I bought in 1975 when I studied in Germany), a pretzel eating contest and a stein holding contest. A Bavarian band serenades all.
Have a great week-end, Las Vegas.
((hugs)) BETH Ellyn
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