Autumn Kick-off: Pool Parties Out – Football and Fall Festivals In
As the temps in the Mojave Valley begin to take a slide, the summer pool-party season in Las Vegas is already starting to wind down. Many resort pools will continue to stay open well into October, but very few are year-round affairs (Golden Nugget being the best of the bunch). So, if one of those weekend beach mega-parties is on your summer to-do list…tick-tock, tick-tock…
With the cooler temps, look for fall colors and football-themed events to spring up in every corner of your favorite Vegas hangout. Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens will unveil “Autumn Harvest” on September 18th, running through November 27th. Open 24 hours and free of charge, this colorful display will undoubtedly evoke memories of trick-or-treat and visits to the pumpkin patch. We recommended visiting very early in the morning for the least-crowded photo opportunities.
Umami Burger, Beer Garden and Sports Book at SLS Las Vegas has already kicked off football season with a 50%-off deal for fantasy football draft parties of 10-20 people. This offer, which applies to food AND beverages (drink up, guys and gals) is valid through September 9th. Umami‘s official kick-off party on September 10th (Pittsburgh vs. New England) hopes to draw fans in with over 50 indoor and outdoor TV’s, free beer, snacks, giveaways and a free $5.00 parlay bet at William Hill Sports Book for the first 100 guests. Look for additional food/drink specials throughout the season.
Slotzilla Zipline on Fremont Street (Downtown) will be celebrating one year of operation with a half-off ticket special this Monday, August 31st from 1pm to 1am. Admission to the lower (conventional) line will be $10 all day, and the double-length Superman-style upper line will be $20.
Slotzilla was constructed at the cost of $17 million and took more than 14 months to complete. Over 450,00 riders have sailed under the Fremont Street Experience canopy in the past year. The one-year-old thrill ride replaced the previous “Flightlinez”, which itself began as a temporary Halloween-themed “Frightlines” attraction in October of 2010.
September is LGBTQ Pride month in Las Vegas. It kicks off a bit early tonight, August 29th, with the Black and White Party at The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel. This swanky affair is a benefit for AFAN (Aid for AIDS of Nevada). The food, music, drinks and fashion get started at 9pm.
An entire month of events will follow, topped by the annual nighttime parade on Friday September 18th and a daytime festival at the Clark County Government Center on Saturday the 19th. For the first time, Chateau Nightclub and Rooftop Gardens at Paris Hotel will host ADRENALINE, the official Parade after-party (also on Friday the 18th). We’ll have more coverage of Pride events in the coming weeks.
Thousands of zombies, vampires, mummies and sexy French maids will be invading Fremont Street for the annual Las Vegas Halloween Parade. 2015 marks the sixth year of this event, to be held Saturday the 31st starting at 7pm, according to their Facebook page. The parade route map hasn’t been updated with 2015 information yet, so keep checking back. This wild and wacky procession has to be seen to be believed.
If you think it’s a little early to start making Halloween plans…think again. Hotels throughout the Strip and Fremont Street tend fill up quickly for Halloween, so even if you’re on the fence about dressing up as Donald Trump or Lady Gaga, you can still reserve hotel rooms while prices are still relatively reasonable. For the Fremont Street area, Oasis at Gold Spike comes in the lowest of the better-known hotels at $92. Downtown Grand currently has rooms available for $100 per night and Plaza lists deluxe accomodations at $106 (plus taxes/resort fees), all based on a Friday-Monday stay.
Expect to pay a scarier price overall for a Halloween stay on the Strip, but deals can still be found. Hotels.com shows Circus Circus for $78 and up, Excalibur is $88, Stratosphere comes in at $93, and you can sleep with the mummies at Luxor for $99. Once again, these are all Friday-Monday and are exclusive of taxes and fees.
Keep checking back with us for other Fall events, concerts and happenings.
Photos: Sammasseur, Las Vegas Halloween Parade via Facebook
A fitness buff and Vegas fan. Sam enjoys shows, bargains, and cheap healthy eats.
