It’s Holiday Time in Las Vegas
It’s Holiday Time in Las Vegas
“There’ll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting” – it’s holiday time in Las Vegas. So ring the sleigh bells, deck the halls and don your most sparkly holiday outfit. And check out this sampling of holiday celebrations and displays around the Las Vegas valley.
Downtown Las Vegas
Your heart will grow to three times its size at the live performance of How the Grinch Stole Christmas at the Smith Center for Performing Arts starting Nov. 26. While you’re there, remember to reserve your seats for Nevada Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker, Dec 13 – Dec 24. And, Las Vegas’ own Clint Holmes will croon beloved holiday classics, refreshed with his signature classic charm at The Smith Center’s Myron’s Cabaret Jazz, Dec. 13 – 15. Visit Smith Center for more information.
If donning a Santa suit is more your style, join more than 8,000 Santa-clad runners at the Fremont Street Experience for the 15th annual Great Santa Run on Dec. 7 benefitting Opportunity Village. Register for the 5K at Great Santa Run. Registration includes a 5-piece Santa suit and swag bag.
The merriment continues at the Fremont Street Experience with the lighting of a 50-foot tall holiday tree on Dec. 12. Mayor Carolyn Goodman will flip the switch with a ceremony at 5 p.m. Santa will be on-hand for photos.
Kids will love having Breakfast with Santa at Container Park on Dec. 7 and Dec. 14. Take your picture with the jolly old man himself, make your own hot chocolate, decorate a holiday cookie and take home an ornament. Over at the Discovery Children’s Museum, the little ones can take an “Elfie Selfie” and enjoy a special reading of the Elf on the Shelf on Dec. 3. You can find more family-friendly events at the Neon Museum’s December to Remember.
New Year’s Eve: There are parties, then there’s America’s Party – Downtown Las Vegas’ New Year’s Eve extravaganza when the Fremont Street Experience hosts an epic party with live entertainment from 12 bands on four stages, including an EDM dance and aerialists stage, and an onstage pyrotechnics celebration at midnight. While celebrating, you can also bar-hop throughout the Fremont East Entertainment District to ring in the new year! 2020 New Year’s Even marks the debut of the $32 million renovation of the Viva Vision video screen. Get tickets and the inside scoop at Vegas Experience.
With many of the city’s hottest and hippest restaurants, bars and nightlife venues, you can be of good cheer every day and night in Downtown Las Vegas. Check out more holiday happenings to make your own naughty and nice list.
The Strip
Even Scrooge would catch the holiday spirit at The Bellagio Conservatory that is decked out in larger-than-life seasonal décor in a display worthy of an “only-in-Vegas” descriptor. Think giant snow globe, a playful family of polar bears made of thousands of carnations, a model train made of roses, a 42-foot tall majestic tree and more! After you visit the Conservatory, head outside to watch Bellagio’s famous fountain “dance” to a melody of holiday music.
Oh, the weather outside is delightful when winter takes over The Park with an extravaganza of twinkling lights, strolling carolers, hot chocolate, favorite treats and an 80-foot holiday tree adorned with icicle lights create a holiday wonderland. Lace-up your ice skates for an evening at the ice rink at Toshiba Plaza outside of T-Mobile Arena.
The Cosmopolitan transforms its rooftop Blvd. Pool into The Ice Rink – 4,200 square feet of real ice featuring light snow showers every 30 minutes. After skating, you can conspire as you dream by the fire (pit) to roast s’mores accompanied by warm cocktails. The Vegas Golden Knights invites locals and tourists alike to revel in the holiday spirit along with a special meet and greet with a few of their favorite professional hockey players on Dec. 6 at the Ice Rink.
Tens-of-thousands of New Year’s Eve revelers will ring in the new year on the Las Vegas Strip. The Strip will close to traffic around 6 p.m. on Dec. 31 so get there early. At midnight more than 80,000 fireworks will go off from the rooftop of seven different Strip resorts all set to music.
More Off The Strip Festivities
The Las Vegas Speedway’s Glittering Lights takes “let’s drive around to look at the holiday lights” to a whole new ‘merry and bright” level! Experience a dazzling array of sights and sounds with more than three million LED lights that intertwine a 2.5-mile course through the speedway. Nov. 8 – Jan. 5.
Climb aboard the Springs Preserve’s Holiday Express and be whisked away on a magical train ride to Santa’s village for storytime, reindeer games and “snow” (yes, snow!). For reservations and December dates, visit Springs Preserve.
A Las Vegas holiday tradition, the Magical Forest at Opportunity Village is a winter wonderland filled with millions of sparkling lights dancing to synchronized music, nightly entertainment, delicious food and endless holiday cheer.
