Top 10 things to do in Las Vegas this week
Here are Neon’s top picks for things to do in Las Vegas from Jan. 23 through 29.
Hot air balloon festivals
Hit up Mesquite or Lake Havasu City, Arizona, this weekend for two hot air balloon festivals. The Mesquite Balloon Festival kicks off Friday with a 7:30 a.m. launch and runs through a morning launch Sunday, including a night glow/candlestick show Friday and Saturday nights, and a Champagne tasting (for ages 21 and up) Saturday evening — all free at the CasaBlanca and Oasis Resort parking lot. At the Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair, find a slew of events all weekend long, including food, drinks, live music, a carnival, classic cars, balloon launches (of course) and much more; casablanca.playmesquite.com and havasuballoonfestival.com.
Jewish Nevada International Film Festival
“Eleanor the Great,” the directorial debut of Scarlett Johansson, kicks off the Jewish Nevada International Film Festival with a screening at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Suncoast. It’s the first of 15 films spread across three venues: the movie theaters at the Suncoast and the South Point and the Windmill Library Theatre. The festival continues through Feb. 7 with Linda Lavin’s final movie, “One Big Happy Family.” Tickets for each movie are $12 for members of the JCC of Southern Nevada and $18 for everyone else; jewishnevada.org/filmfestival.
‘Broadway Reimagined’
Violinist Robert Taylor, co-lyricist/librettist for “Bandstand,” and pianist Philip Fortenberry will perform as part of “Broadway Reimagined: A Chamber Music Tribute.” The program will present novel renditions of Broadway favorites in an intimate setting. The performance in scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum, 5850 N. Park St. Tickets are $95; ritadeaninabbeymuseum.org.
Drag Ultra Brunch
On Saturday, Drag Ultra Brunch returns to Gipsy, 4605 Paradise Road, with new performers and productions, a buffet of classic brunch dishes, bottomless mimosas, the debut of Drag Ultra Brunch merchandise and a meet-and-greet with the performers after the show. Doors open at noon; show begins at 1 p.m. Tickets start at $65, $55 with Nevada ID; gipsylasvegas.com.
Midwife
Midwife (aka singer-songwriter Madeline Johnston) casts a spell with mesmeric, ethereal dream pop, spare in sonic embellishments but rich in emotion and longing. Feel the drone at 8 p.m. Thursday at The Griffin, 511 Fremont St. Tickets are $20; dice.fm.
Wanda Sykes
Fresh off roasting Bill Maher and Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes as she presented the award for best stand-up comedy performance, Wanda Sykes will aim to show those two how it’s done when she returns to the stage at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Palazzo Theatre at The Venetian. Tickets start at $66; ticketmaster.com.
‘That’s What I Like’
“That’s What I Like: The Ultimate Bruno Mars Tribute Experience” takes place at 8 p.m. Saturday at Veil Pavilion at the Silverton. The show features top-tier musicians, a dynamic frontman and a polished live production. General admission tickets are $30, with first-come, first-served seating; silvertoncasino.showare.com.
Chef’s Pasta Tasting
Al Solito Posto, 420 S. Rampart Blvd., Suite 180, in Tivoli Village, has launched its Chef’s Pasta Tasting at 7 p.m. Tuesdays. The experience features antipasti, four courses of fresh pasta, and dessert. The meal is served communally at the restaurant’s kitchen-adjacent marble table. Cost: $110 prepaid from OpenTable.
Planet Desert Rock Weekend
With both distortion pedals and passports in hand, they’ve come from around the globe to deliver riffs almost as sizable as their native countries. Back for Year 6, Planet Desert Rock Weekend continues to bring the guitar-heavy hard rock with an international flair via Spaceslug (Poland), The Quill (Sweden), Kaiser (Finland), Isaak (Italy), Saturna (Spain) and others alongside a bevy of their U.S. counterparts like Freedom Hawk, The Well, The Heavy Eyes and many more from 5 p.m. Thursday through Feb. 1 at The Usual Place, 100 S. Maryland Parkway. Three-day passes start at $135.23; four-night passes start at $155.50; eventbrite.com.
Bellagio display
Bellagio’s Lunar New Year display is here, celebrating the Year of the Horse. Open through Feb. 28, the exhibit features Ed Libby’s design in collaboration with Bellagio’s horticulture team, showcasing “symbolic elements, intricate craftsmanship and a rich color palette.” The display is open 24 hours a day and is free for the public to enjoy. Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 17 this year. The horse is the seventh animal in the Chinese zodiac, honoring strength, vitality and freedom.
