DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS EVENTS CENTER HOSTS THE GREAT VEGAS GRIDIRON GRILL-OFF BBQ AND TAILGATE FESTIVAL
The new Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLV) will host the Great Vegas Gridiron Grill-Off BBQ and Tailgate Festival Sept. 6 – 7 from noon – 6 p.m. The tasty competition invites guest to sample award-winning BBQ, get up close and personal with the grilling teams and meet “The Godfather of BBQ,” Johnny Trigg.
Making its fifth Sin City appearance, the Grill-Off is part of an outdoor lifestyle series of events at the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center, located across from the D Las Vegas.
With a purse of $10,000, the Gridiron Grill-Off Champion’s prize is one the largest on the competition circuit. Sponsored by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, competitors placing in the top ten overall, as well as the top twenty places in all four categories will win a cash prize. The categories include Chicken, Ribs, Brisket and Pork Butt.
“The Gridiron Grill-Off will bring the world’s best barbecue teams to Las Vegas,” said Ron Cates, event organizer. “Even though there is big money up for grabs, it’s really about more than that; it’s about respect among their peers. Those that compete in this contest know the winner will be recognized as the number one barbecue team on the planet.”
“The Downtown Las Vegas Event Center is thrilled and proud to host this premier event,” said Megan Conklin, Director of Operations for DLV. “We welcome the professional barbecue teams and believe the festival will add a tremendous amount of excitement to the downtown area and is something Las Vegas and Fremont Street will embrace for years to come.”
Entry is $20 per person per day and includes stage entertainment, grilling demonstrations, fun and games provided by event partners and all-you-can-eat barbecue in tasting portions. In addition to the festivities, “The Godfather of BBQ,” Johnny Trigg, will make a guest appearance to meet and mingle with the crowd. Those interested in attending can purchase tickets here.
CALLING ALL ENTREPRENEURS TO DOWNTOWN HENDERSON
The City of Henderson Economic Development and Arrivetime.com will host the first ever Water Street Rall-E on September 3. The monthly meetings will be held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month at Berwick’s, the new urban lounge in the Water Street District. The event is free and light refreshments will be served.
The “E” is for entrepreneurs and rally is the appropriate term for a gathering of people in order to excite and inspire. “The monthly Rall-E meetings will create a way to bring people together who are passionate about starting and building their businesses,” said Barbra Coffee, Director of Economic Development and Redevelopment. “The goal is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, experiences, and knowledge so that entrepreneurs can further their own business objectives.”
Robert Kayian, CEO and Founder of Arrivetime.com, will kick things off as the featured presenter and host for the first Water Street Rall-E! Kayian, a long-time Valley resident and serial entrepreneur, will share his entrepreneurial journey and offer attendees a glimpse of his next big adventure with Arrivetime.com.
“Entrepreneurs thrive in an environment where they can connect and collaborate,” said Kayian. “We are thrilled to join Henderson and the Water Street District in their efforts to encourage entrepreneurs to come to this community in order to do just that.”
Entrepreneurial development is one aspect of the city’s overall economic development strategy. “It is important for the city to support its own entrepreneurial community so that they can launch and grow their businesses right here at home,” said Coffee. It is what economic developers call economic gardening – growing businesses and creating jobs from within.
For more information on this and other programs of the City of Henderson Division of Economic Development and Redevelopment, please call 702-267-1650, email cohecon@cityofhenderson.com, or visitHendersonMeansBusiness.com.
Rio Spa & Salon Hosts 5th Annual Locks of Love Cut-A-Thon Wednesday, Aug. 27
Rio Spa & Salon will host its 5th annual cut-a-thon to benefit Locks of Love on Wednesday, August 27, 2014.
Tresses donated during this annual charitable drive will be turned into wigs and hairpieces for children undergoing chemotherapy, suffering from alopecia areata or recuperating from scalp burns.
Generous guests who donate at least 10-inches of hair will receive a complimentary blunt cut and a 30 percent discount on any additional styling or coloring treatments offered at the salon.
Rio Spa & Salon (at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino)
3700 W. Flamingo Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89103
Guidelines allow permed or color-treated hair; however, bleached and highlighted tresses are not usable. Donors may also bring in ponytails that have been previously cut at other locations.
2014 Downtown Brew Festival Returns to Clark County Amphitheater with Elevated Culinary and Craft Beer Infusions Saturday, Sept. 20
Motley Brews’ third annual Downtown Brew Festival (DBF) returns to Clark County Amphitheater on Saturday, Sept. 20 from 6 to 10 p.m. with an all-new food focus featuring beer-inspired culinary creations from prominent Las Vegas chefs, paired with local entertainment in a backyard setting.
As the sun sets on Las Vegas’ iconic backdrop, the Downtown Brew Festival will become a friendly backyard celebration beneath the stars and a nonstop evening of live entertainment with performances by A Crowd of Small Adventures, Josh Royse and Daniel Park. This year, Las Vegas’ premier fall festival is expanding on the craft beer and backyard motif as local celebrity chefs add a new ingredient to the festival’s overall atmosphere with elevated culinary menus
“Las Vegas’ craft beer industry has really expanded and we are thrilled to be able to provide an opportunity for the community to immerse itself into the lifestyle,” said Brian Chapin, founder of Motley Brews. “There is more to this whole movement than an abundance of craft brews and this year we are going to showcase how the different beers can redefine the culinary experience.”
Chefs from a number of culinary hotspots, including Comme Ça, DW Bistro and Forte will heighten the craft beer experience with dishes created specifically to emphasize the flavors and aromas of the featured brews. Chefs will be serving one-of-kind dishes ranging from Crispy Pig Skins with Chile Lime Sea Salt to Smoked Kumamoto Oysters.
Adding to the innovative culinary menu, VIP Pavilion guests will be treated to several courses created by Chef Sonia El-Nawal. The former Food Network “Chopped” finalist serves as executive chef for The Perch, which will open at Downtown Container Park in late September, and The Market, an urban grocery scheduled to open at 611 Fremont Street in October. El-Nawal is a veteran chef with experience in such restaurants as Jean-Georges, JoJo, Nobu in New York City and the Hotel Condesa DF in Mexico City, and brings a wealth of beer knowledge from her time spent living in Brussels.
“We’re celebrating Downtown and the strides the city is making, and we couldn’t be more excited to have someone like Chef Sonia, who draws from years of international experience to create an incredible culinary scene at this year’s festival,” remarked Chapin.
The grassy surroundings of the amphitheater will be lined with more than 50 stations representing more than 150 unique beers, from local, regional, and international breweries. Both Victory Brewing Company, Southern Pennsylvania’s premiere and nationally-celebrated craft brewery, which will soon be making its Las Vegas debut, and Stone Brewing Co. will make their first appearance at the festival.
Tickets are currently on sale and available for General Admission for $35; Early Entry for $45; and VIP for $75 until Tuesday, Sept. 16. A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit The Neon Museum and Nevada Craft Brewers Association (NCBA). For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit the Downtown Brew Festival website.
Primm Valley Casino Resorts Celebrates Labor Day with Second Annual Fireworks Show
Primm Valley Casino Resorts will be painting the night sky in an array of color with fireworks in honor of Labor Day. The second annual display will start at dusk on Sunday, Aug. 31.
Guest are encouraged to arrive early to secure a viewing location and to enjoy the fun. Operating between 12:15 – 7:45 p.m., the famous Desperado roller coaster will be shooting riders through the casino and high above the desert landscape at speeds up to 90 mph. For the less adventurous, other family-friendly rides and attractions will be open.
Before the display begins, firework seekers are invited to stop for dinner at Ramon Ayala’s Cocina and Cantina in Buffalo Bill’s for traditional Mexican cuisine, or indulge in a mouth-watering steak or prime rib from GP’s Steakhouse. Other dining options will also be open.
The best viewing location is located in the Star of the Desert Arena parking lot behind Buffalo Bill’s. The fireworks shows are put on through a partnership with Pyrotecnico. The partnership has put on previous displays that have lasted an astounding 18 minutes.
For more information on Primm Valley Casino Resorts’ attractions call 1.800.FUNSTOP (1.800.386.7867) or visit www.primmvalleyresorts.com.
DATE CHANGE: Smiles for Survivors Foundation’s 4th Annual Blow Out Breast Cancer Event Date Changed to Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014
Smiles for Survivors Foundation ™ (SFS), a Las Vegas based non-profit that is the first in the nation to work with dentists and dental specialists to provide dental treatment to breast cancer patients and survivors, has changed the date of its 4th Annual Blow Out Breast Cancer fundraising event to Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 at Square Colour Salon + Spa, (1225 S. Fort Apache Rd. Ste. 160). The event was originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4.
The afternoon beauty event kicks off at 2 p.m. with a variety of beauty treatments offered until 6 p.m. The evening festivities are 7 to 11 p.m. and include a variety of food, cocktails, live entertainment and a silent auction. Advance ticket prices are $75, which includes admission to the party, a blow out and a Kerastase conditioning hair treatment or $50 for the party only. Services such as lash and nail treatments are an additional $20. Tickets can be purchased at Square Salon, 702.255.7050 or at Hillcrest Dental, 702.395.1088. Tickets are $60 at the door.
The event’s goals are to raise awareness of the potentially harmful oral side effects of cancer treatment and to raise funds in order to provide breast cancer survivors with dental treatment to restore their oral health. To date, SFS’s network of dentists has performed over $40,000 worth of dental treatment, helping more than 20 breast cancer patients to restore their oral health by repairing damage and alleviating pain caused by cancer treatment.
The complete event schedule is:
2 – 6 p.m. Champagne, small bites, blowouts with conditioning treatments and lash treatments
7 – 11 p.m. Cocktails, food, silent auction and live entertainment
“The support of the Las Vegas community has made it possible for the foundation to provide critical oral healthcare to women in need,” said Dr. Olya Banchik, a local dentist and founder of the non-profit. “This event brings much needed support and awareness to oral complications that
occur when a patient undergoes cancer treatment. We need continue building a dialogue between oncologists, dentists and patients so that we can address oral health issues before patients begin losing teeth or suffering from infections.”
Longtime sponsors include Square Colour Salon + Spa and platinum sponsor Rob Jensen Company, a local luxury real estate agency, Khavkin Facial Plastic Surgery, and Park Place Infiniti. Partners include B Sweet Candy Boutique, By Dzign, Lobster Me, Corrigan Group, and many others.
Showboy Bakeshop to Host Celebrity Bake Sale for Charity
On Saturday, August 30th, 2014 Showboy Bakeshop will host their first ever “Broadway BakeSale” from 12p-6p in their shop located at 2591 Anthem Village Dr. Ste B4, Henderson, NV 89052.
The event will feature celebrity guests “working” the counter to raise money and awareness for the national charity Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS.
Headlined by Jai Rodriguez (queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Malibu Country, How I Met Your Mother) and Angel Porrino (Holly’s World, Absinthe, Peepshow) from 4p-6p, the shop will also have Felice Garcia with cast members from Million Dollar Quartet from 12p-2p and Mark Shunock with cast members from Rock of Ages from 2p-4p.
All attendees will have the opportunity to meet and interact with their favorite performers as well as get autographs and pictures. All proceeds from the event will be donated directly to BCEFA.
City of Henderson Labor Day Hours
Henderson City Hall and Municipal Court will be closed Monday, September 1 in observance of Labor Day. Police, fire and emergency services will continue to work regular schedules.
All online payment services will be available. Residents may also report problems or share a comment any day or hour using Contact Henderson, available at cityofhenderson.com.
Holiday hours and closures of recreation and pool facilities are as follows:
Open 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Black Mountain Aquatic Complex
- BMI Outdoor Swimming Pool
- Henderson Multigenerational Activity Pool
- Silver Springs Outdoor Swimming Pool
- Wells Outdoor Swimming Pool
- Whitney Ranch Activity Pool
Open 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve
Pool and recreation facilities closed on Monday, September 1
- Black Mountain Recreation Center
- Downtown Recreation Center
- Downtown Senior Center
- Henderson Multigenerational Center
- Henderson Multigenerational Competition Pool
- Henderson Multigenerational Indoor Pool
- Heritage Park Aquatic Complex
- Heritage Park Senior Facility
- Silver Springs Recreation Center
- Sports Office
- Valley View Recreation Center
- Whitney Ranch Recreation Center
Las Vegas Firefighters Join Professional Hockey Players in Game to Benefit Las Vegas Firefighter Youth Hockey Charity
Las Vegas Valley Firefighters, in conjunction with current and former professional hockey players, will be participating in a match-up on August 23, 2014, in order to raise money for the Las Vegas Firefighter Youth Hockey Charity.
Twelve Las Vegas Firefighters will be participating in this one-hour event at 5:30 p.m. at the Sobe Ice Arena, in the Fiesta Hotel and Casino, with adult tickets selling at $10 and children (under 12) tickets selling at $5 at Sobe Ice Arena box office. During the event, the Las Vegas Firefighters will unveil and sell their 2015 Las Vegas Firefighter Calendars (featuring local firefighters) to raise additional funds, and also be raffling off hockey sticks signed by the NHL/ECHL hockey players. Hockey players include:
- Chris Francis, former Las Vegas Wranglers player
- Eric Lacroix, former Colorado Avalanche player
- Stéphane Yelle, former Stanley Cup winner
- Jason Zucker, Minnesota Wild player (National Hockey League)
- Deryk Engelland, Calgary Flames player (National Hockey League)
Eric Littmann, Las Vegas Firefighter and organizer of the event, says, “Last year, we were able to raise $5,000 with this event, and this year we are hoping to surpass that amount. Hockey is the ultimate team sport, and it is our goal to fulfill the dreams of local children who want to play, but may not have the means.”
The Las Vegas Firefighter Youth Hockey Charity assists local children to participate in hockey. This includes funding for travel to different states to compete and equipment.
CSN Announces 2014-15 “Behind the Curtain” Theatre Season
The BackStage Theatre at the College of Southern Nevada will be home to all four theatre productions being staged by the Department of Fine Arts Theatre Program.
Calling the season “Behind the Curtain,” new theatre faculty member Aaron Tuttle has announced the play selections, all chosen with the black box setting of the BackStage Theatre in mind, and he says, “Each of theses plays were chosen because they show some aspect ‘behind the curtain’ of the theatre. The theme of these productions plays perfectly in the fittingly named BackStage Theatre. We will encourage as many students as possible to be involved, either onstage or behind the scenes.”
Annie Baker’s “Circle Mirror Transformation” opens the season Oct. 10-19. This comedy/drama, which won the 2009 Obie Award for Best New American Play, traces the lives of a handful of small-town New Englanders who enroll in a 6-week drama class at a local community center.
“The Sea Gull,” by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, will run Nov. 14-23. Written in 1895, this classic play of the modern theatre is considered an ensemble piece that explores love, missed connections, and what it means to be an artist in the theatre. “Every theatre student should know Chekhov and The Sea Gull,” says Tuttle.
The weekend of Feb. 26 to Mar. 1 will be Spring Shorts, a collection of short plays that will bring something for everyone.
The season closes with Tom Stoppard’s hilarious “The Real Inspector Hound,” which runs April 10-19. Theatre critics Moon and Birdboot are swept into this Agatha Christie-style murder-mystery in this absurd play-within-a-play. Tuttle says, “This comedy was specifically chosen so that student actors can fine-tune their comedic acting skills.”
Also onstage at CSN will be “Macbeth,” Feb. 6 and 7, in the Nicholas J. Horn Theatre, as the Utah Shakespeare Festival touring ensemble returns to CSN as part of the Performing Arts Center’s annual SchoolFest.
Admission for all the plays is $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors. Call the Ticket Office at 651-LIVE (5483) for additional information or to request a season brochure, or visit www.csn.edu/pac.
In its 20th season of providing quality artistic, cultural, educational and entertainment opportunities for the college and the community, the CSN Performing Arts Center is located at 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., one mile east of I-15 North.
