Vegas Happenings 04/30/23
Neil Diamond: The Tribute - Dino Safari: A Walk Thru Adventure - Stargazing event Skye Canyon Park
NEIL DIAMOND - The Tribute Starring Rob Garrett Opens at Alexis Park
Neil Diamond, one of biggest selling artists in music history retired from performing in 2018 after being diagnosed with Parkinson Disease. However, tribute artist, Rob Garrett, aka The King of Diamonds, who has been performing as Diamond for 28 years, continues his legacy with his show aptly titled, NEIL DIAMOND - The Tribute Starring Rob Garrett, that recently opened inside the intimate Pegasus Room at Alexis Park Resort.
Backed by a trio of musicians called The Pretty Amazing Band, consisting of keyboard player, drummer, and lead guitarist, Garrett delivers a fast paced 75 minute show in which he captures Diamond’s persona, looks, soundalike vocals and stage presence so spot on that audiences filled with fans of the legendary music icon, will feel like they are attending a live Neil Diamond concert. It is as a close to the real deal that you will get.
During media night on April 13, everyone in the audience got up on their feet singing and clapping along to a selection of Diamond’s greatest hits throughout the years, including Hello Again, I Am… I Said, Sweet Caroline, Song Sung Blue, I’m A Believer, America and more. To top it off, towards the end of the show, Rob comes off the stage to get up close and personal with his audience, which thrilled the adoring fans.
If you haven’t yet seen Rob Garrett perform, give yourself a treat and head on over to the Pegasus Room at Alexis Park for his show, NEIL DIAMOND - The Tribute Starring Rob Garrett. Performances are Monday thru Thursday at 9 pm for an indefinite run. Tickets are $47.
Horseshoe Las Vegas’s New Exhibition, Dino Safari: A Walk Thru Adventure, Takes Visitors Back to Prehistoric Times
Following the immense popularity of the Jurassic Park blockbuster movie franchise, Imagine Exhibitions’ opened their new exhibit, Dino Safari: A Walk Thru Adventure, to the public at Horseshoe Las Vegas (formerly Bally’s Las Vegas) on April 10, transporting visitors back to ancient times when dinosaurs rule the earth.
Fun, educational and fascinating, this experiential walk through attraction based on real science, allows both locals and visitors to move about at your own pace through several rooms where you can get up close and personal with 30 larger-than-life animatronic dinosaurs including T. Rex and Spinosauraus, genuine fossils, and engage in interactive games and virtual reality, all in one attraction. It is the perfect family friendly activity for dinosaur fans of all ages.
Dino Safari: A Walk Thru Adventure occupies the space on Horseshoe’s lower level next to The Cabinet of Curiosities, formerly held by the popular National Geographic’s Rarely Seen, another amazing, immersive limited engagement produced by Imagine Exhibitions. The attraction is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for a limited engagement only. Tickets start at $22.25 and children 2 and under are free.
Skye Canyon’s Eighth Annual Skye & Stars Stargazing Event
In celebration of this spring’s International Astronomy Day, on Saturday April 29, SKYE CANYON’S EIGHTH ANNUAL SKYE & STARS STARGAZING EVENT with the Las Vegas Astronomical Society took place at Skye Canyon Park. This was a FREE, family-friendly event that was both fun and educational.
Gates opened at 6 p.m for guests who were encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs and enjoy a picnic. There was also music, lawn games, and food trucks with telescopes, strategically arranged throughout the park, along with astrophotography, and video cameras with constellation viewing and celestial exploration beginning after dark from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. As part of the THRIVE@Skye event series, upon entering the park, attendees received a special commemorative pin to add to their growing collection.
This year once again featured an in-person, guided tour through the night sky led by Keith Caceres, president of the Las Vegas Astronomical Society. Caceres and his team positioned high-power telescopes throughout the park aimed at specific and noteworthy stars and constellations and used a powerful, high-tech laser pointer to further showcase and point out interesting elements in the night sky.
During the event, donations were accepted for LVAS, a nonprofit organization of amateur astronomers formed to promote astronomy in Southern Nevada and for the purchase of a $5 raffle ticket, there was a drawing to win an AWB OneSkye Telescope with all proceeds going to LVAS.
Additional recent and other upcoming “happenings” in and around Las Vegas include:
IMAGINARIUM, a family-friendly outdoor immersive 3D light festival, boasting five million colorful lights across five-acres of interactive experiences, successfully launched at Westgate Las Vegas's north parking lot on Friday evening, April 28. On opening night guests checked out the highly-anticipated attraction's illuminated forests, endless mazes, elaborate selfie boxes, and 20+ mystical larger-than-life story-book creatures across eight head-turning fantasy attraction zones.
Originally announced as a 10-night pop-up attraction, Imaginarium been extended through Monday, May 29, due to popular demand. The all-ages affordable attraction is open nightly at 7 p.m. with tickets starting at just $19 for locals
On Thursday, April 20, HOPE MEANS NEVADA, the community-based non-profit focused on mental wellness and eliminating youth suicide in the state, received a $14,517 DONATION FROM FINDLAY OF LAS VEGAS. During the month of March, Findlay Subaru of Las Vegas pledged to donate $50 from every car sold and $3 from every oil change to HMN.
The jumbo check presented by Findlay Subaru of Las Vegas’s assistant general manager Jennifer Vitale was given to HMN’s Teen Committee and Hope Means Nevada’s executive director Ciera Bellavance to help the organization continue to raise awareness of Nevada’s high rates of mental health challenges and connect youth with desperately needed resources.
AARON BENWARD’S NASHVILLE UNPLUGGED returned to Rhythm & Riffs at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Friday, April 21, delivering some of country music’s most prominent singer-songwriters to perform and share “the story behind the song” of their famous chart-topping tracks. Featuring a rotating lineup of songwriters, Nashville Unplugged will give guests an original show every Friday night. The complimentary 26-week live country music series is scheduled to entertain fans every Friday from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with complimentary admission for guests 21 and over.
The award-winning L.A. COMEDY CLUB has opened a new showroom at EDGEWATER CASINO RESORT in Laughlin, Nevada. Made famous as the club “where comedy comes to party,” the long-running comedy club at The STRAT Hotel, Casino & SkyPod on the Las Vegas Strip has introduced “Comedy to the Edge” in what was formerly the Edge Lounge at Edgewater. With seating for 150, the new L.A. Comedy Club will offer a hilarious lineup of top comedians, building on the foundation of top established and up-and-coming comics of its sister club in Las Vegas. Plus, this new showroom, nicknamed Dragon’s Edge as a nod to the Dragon Room, home to L.A. Comedy Club at The STRAT, is a prime setting for live music, including karaoke. Rock and country fans can look forward to a lineup of high-energy acts as part of the entertainment at the new L.A. Comedy Club.L.A. Comedy Club at Edgewater offers shows at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. nightly from Wednesday through Sunday. James Michael’s Redneck Comedy Show kicks off shows nightly at 7 p.m. Top national touring comedians headline the 9 p.m. shows, with hilarious comics such as Peter Berman, Quinn Dahle and Jay Reid performing soon.
Clique Hospitality is honored to celebrate veterans and active military duty all year long by offering an ongoing 15% DISCOUNT at all the company’s Las Vegas restaurants. For NATIONAL MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH in May, Clique Hospitality will continue offering this discount at its top dining destinations, including BORRACHA MEXICAN CANTINA AND BOTTIGLIA CUCINA & ENOTECA, located at Green Valley Ranch Spa and Casino in Henderson; SIDE PIECE PIZZA located at the Red Rock Hotel & Casino; THE STILL, located at the Mirage Hotel & Casino; and TAILGATE SOCIAL, located at Palace Station Hotel & Casino. Those whose are currently serving, or have served in the military, will receive 15% off their entire bill with a valid military ID. Guests can enjoy a variety of flavors and cuisines at Clique’s restaurants, including authentic Mexican cuisine at Borracha, rustic Italian fare at Bottiglia, New York and Sicilian-style pizzas at Side Piece, elevated bar food at The Still and game day favorites at Tailgate Social.
Flight school and aircraft rental company, ALL IN AVIATION, is hosting an OPEN HOUSE EVENT at its HENDERSON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT FACILITY(1456 Jet Street Dr.) in partnership with the Las Vegas Science & Technology Festival on Thursday, May 4 from 4-7 p.m in an effort to showcase STEM careers in aviation. The family-friendly event will include a presentation from Cirrus Aircraft on its proprietary whole-airframe ballistic parachute system (CAPS), as well as information on the flight school’s pilot training, certification and aircraft rental programs. Guests can tour the aircraft fleet, training rooms, premier pilot shop, and state-of-the-art ALSIM ALSR20 flight simulator. AIA remains the only independent flight school in the U.S. to offer this all-new flight training technology.
Award winning, multi faceted guitarist MENU SU will perform in the BLACK BOX THEATRE AT UNLV’S ALTA HAM FINE ARTS BUILDING Friday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. With her stunning virtuosity and refined artistry, Su often performs as part of the Beijing Guitar Duo, began studying the guitar at age five, and currently teaches at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. “New York Concert Review” writes her performance is “... seemingly effortless and stunningly polished.”“Classical Guitar” magazine called her debut recording “awe-inspiring.” Single tickets are priced at $30 (discounts may be available) and may be purchased by telephone at 702-895-ARTS (2787),or at the PAC box office from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday.
The College of Southern Nevada, School of Arts & Letters and Department of Fine Arts will host THE ART 298: PORTFOLIO EMPHASIS - SPRING 2023 EXHIBITION featuring the works of fourteen student artists from CSN’s Art & Art History Program. Works featured in this exhibition are included as part of the program's capstone experience and highlight the vast range of offerings within the CSN Art & Art History Program including ceramics, digital media, drawing, metal work, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Art 298: Portfolio Emphasis – Spring 2023 Exhibition opens Friday, May 5, 2023, and runs through Saturday, June 17, 2023. An Artist Reception with light refreshments will take place in the Artspace Gallery on Friday, May 12, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. All CSN art gallery events are free, family friendly, and open to the public. The Artspace Gallery is upstairs above the main entrance lobby on the North Las Vegas campus located at 3200 E. Cheyenne Avenue, one-mile East of I-15 North.
THE COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA’S Department of Fine Arts Music Program presents the LAS VEGAS YOUTH SAXOPHONE ENSEMBLES in their spring semester concert at CSN entitled VOYAGING. Students will perform works highlighting the theme of summer vacation by Freddie Mercury, Alastair Penman, Karen Street, Andrew Tweed, and Kurt Weill. The LVYSE is comprised of saxophone ensembles from both CSN and the Las Vegas Youth Orchestras, and features both college students as well as local middle and high school students who are dually enrolled at CSN. The concert will take place Thursday, May 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the Backstage Theatre at the Cheyenne campus. General Admission is $8.00 and $5.00 for students and seniors. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call the PAC Box Office at 702-651-LIVE (5483).
PALMS CASINO RESORT will honor the songs and spirits of Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and spirits trailblazer SAMMY HAGAR with a Cinco de Mayo weekend “BAJA BEACH BASH” The poolside party is complimentary and will be held at SOAK from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 7. Called “the ultimate Sammy Hagar tribute band,” Three Lock Box will honor the Red Rocker’s hits that have spanned decades, from Hagar’s seminal hard rock band Montrose and multi-platinum solo career to his ride as the front man of Van Halen, Chickenfoot and his latest best-selling supergroup, The Circle. The party will showcase cocktails made with all of Hagar’s spirits to honor the occasion.
THE DISTRICT AT GREEN VALLEY RANCH in Henderson has announced that it will bring back its FREE WEEKLY MOVIE NIGHTS beginning May 6. The free movies will be shown on Saturdays starting at 7 p.m. on The Green, located on Village Walk Drive, adjacent to Whole Foods. The family-friendly movie lineup includes:
May 6 | Top Gun
May 13 | Top Gun: Maverick
May 20 | Sign 2
May 27 | Lightyear
June 3 | Prom (PG-13) in partnership with Henderson Pride
June 10 | Puss in Boots: The Last Knight
June 17 | Black Panther
June 24 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
DAYLIGHT BEACH CLUB, located at MANDALAY BAY RESORT AND CASINO, will host the official pool party for EDM festivals BASSRUSH and LOST IN DREAMS on Thursday, May 18 and Day Trip on Saturday, May 20. The festivities will begin with the BASSRUSH POOL PARTY during the day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 18. The lineup features popular EDM artists AIRGLO, Austeria, Barely Alive, Eptic, Friction, Riot Ten and Sullivan King. Later, DAYLIGHT will host a LOST IN DREAMS NIGHT SWIM. The night-time psychedelic party will feature mind-blowing sets by ARMNHMR, Blanke, Kaivon, Pauline Herr and TSU NAMI from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. On Saturday, May 20, the Day Trip pool party will take over DAYLIGHT starting at 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Featuring popular EDM DJs and artists such as Sonny Fodera, Dombresky, Biscits, Joshwa, Torren Foot, Carola and Lady Sinclair, “Sunburst Saturdays” will be packed with energy and bursting with the hottest sounds.
To honor and recognize those who have served and sacrificed for the country, PIERO’S ITALIAN CUISINE, a treasured Las Vegas fine dining restaurant, (located directly off the Las Vegas Strip adjacent to the Convention Center) will offer a 15% DISCOUNT FOR ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL AND VETERANS with a valid ID from 5 to 9:30 p.m. during Memorial Day weekend on Friday, May 26 through Sunday, May 28.
The ultimate wellness experience, the 2023 INTEGRATIVE WELLNESS EXPO AND CONFERENCE will take place from 10:am - 5:30pm on June 10th and 11th at ALEXIS PARK RESORT, 375 E. Harmon. More than a simple expo this event is a full-blown adventure for the mind, body, and soul. With over 70 exhibitors and a dozen world-renowned speakers, you'll have access to the latest and greatest in holistic dentistry, infrared saunas, quantum healing devices, pain management techniques, frequency and sound healing machines, as well as dazzling gems and jewelry and so much more. Come for one day or make it a weekend getaway. Forget about the stresses of your workday and escape to this very unique and special event where you will meet new people and uplift your thoughts and feelings. You won't find anything like it anywhere else. FREE entry and parking.
BASILICO in Southwest Las Vegas, CAVIAR BAR in Resorts World, JING in Downtown Summerlin, Todd English’s OLIVES in Virgin Hotels, THE STOVE in Henderson and VILLA AZUR in the Grand Canal Shoppes in The Venetian are some of the few restaurants that are participating in LOCAL FOOD BANK’S, THREE SQUARE, RESTAURANT WEEK this Summer June 5th - 16th, 2023. Las Vegas Restaurant Week is an annual 12-day event, held every spring, that encourages people to dine out for a good meal, a good value, and a good cause. The city’s finest restaurants offer special three-course prix fixe menus, donating a small portion of proceeds to Three Square Food Bank.
As part of her nationwide "Unfollow Me" Tour, GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter and performance artist, ERYKAH BADU, along with hip-hop's most introspective and insightful artist yasiin bey, will make a stop at the MICHELOB ULTRA ARENA AT MANDALAY BAY RESORT AND CASINO in Las Vegas Friday, June 16.Tickets are on sale now.
PARADOX MUSEUM LAS VEGAS, the world’s most extraordinary collection of mind-twisting and eye-tricking exhibits, where nothing makes sense, but everything is real – announces it will open at 3767 S Las Vegas Blvd. in June 2023. The 11,000-square-foot destination will include 90 engaging exhibits combining the fun of exploring brain-bending illusions with the science of paradoxes. Every exhibit will be interactive, including sensory and educational experiences with information about the exciting science behind its optical and perceptual effects. Visitors will encounter new perspectives along with the opportunity to defy reality and live their own experiences – all while taking unbelievably cool photos and videos.
When it opens, Paradox Museum Las Vegas will feature dozens of stand-out exhibits, including the Upside Down Room. In this space, all objects and people will seem to defy gravity. Guests can strike poses for the camera while radically changing the way they view the world. The Paradox Sofa exhibit will also give the impression of a glitch in the system. Visitors will wonder if bodies are magically split in two or if multiple people are lounging on the couch at once. All exhibits will touch the hearts and minds of those who wish to truly challenge their senses and ways of thinking.
Southern California emo cover band EMO KIDS are returning to Las Vegas for a special performance at BACKSTAGE BAR & BILLIARDS (601 E. Fremont St.) in Downtown Las Vegas on Saturday, June 24, 2023, alongside special guests Lie For Fun. Tickets start at $10 plus applicable fees for general admission and are on now. Guests must be 21 years or older and doors are at 8 p.m.
THE BATTLE FOR VEGAS hosted by Reilly Smith returns to LAS VEGAS BALLPARK AT DOWNTOWN SUMMERLIN on Saturday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m. Fans will get the chance to watch their favorite stars in action as the teams “battle” it out for Las Vegas’ ultimate bragging rights, all for a good cause. The softball showdown, now in its fourth year, features two all-star teams of professional athletes, led by Reilly Smith of the Vegas Golden Knights and his teammates against friends from the Las Vegas Raiders. Gates open on Saturday, July 22 at 5:30 p.m. The Home Run Derby will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the opening pitch at 7:30 p.m. A flyover is planned with special appearances by mascots Chance, Spruce the Goose, Aviator and others. The event will conclude with a post-game firework display presented by Century Gaming Technologies.
The initial event launched in 2019 and has raised over $550,000 for deserving local charities. This year’s Battle for Vegas will benefit the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation with funds distributed to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada.
New for 2023 is a Battle for Vegas Fan Fest event which will take place on Friday and Saturday, July 21 and 22 at Downtown Summerlin. The Fan Fest will feature family-friendly interactive games, plus food, drinks and autograph signings from players. Tickets for the Battle for Vegas Charity Softball Game begin at $35.
After four acclaimed, sold-out engagements where he bared it all during the steamy shower scene, “Jersey Shore” star VINNY GUADAGNINO will return for a fifth residency in CHIPPENDALES beginning Labor Day Weekend. The “Keto-Guido’s” limited six-week engagement will run Thursday, August 31 through Sunday, October 8 at RIO HOTEL & CASINO. Chippendales performs nightly at 8:00 p.m., with additional shows on Friday and Saturday at 10:30 p.m. (dark Monday and Tuesday). An additional 10:30 pm show will be added on Sunday nights during Vinny’s engagement.
Thanks to a $3.5 MILLION GRANT from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust plans are back on track for Nevada’s newest state park, THE ICE AGE FOSSILS STATE PARK in North Las Vegas, which will focus on the preserved traces of mammoths, dire wolves, prehistoric camels and other animals. Originally conceived during Gov. Brian Sandoval’s “Explore Your Nevada” tourism initiative during his last term in office, the project was put on hold because of delays and funding cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by rising construction costs due to inflation. Expected to be completed this fall, the 315-acre park will have a visitor center with fossils, interactive exhibits, a historical film and a place for temporary displays.
Celebrity sightings:
Thursday, April 20…
Reality TV star Peter Weber, (aka “Pilot Pete”) known for his appearances as a contestant in season 15 of “The Bachelorette” and the star of season 24 of “The Bachelor, visited the immersive entertainment district AREA15 with his family.
Tuesday, April 11…
Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds attended Mystère™ at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino. Following the performance, the singer met up with the cast for a group photo.