5 best things to do at Life is Beautiful on Friday

Life is Beautiful is back today.

Kick off Day 1 of the downtown festival with popular headliners and lesser-known hidden gems around the festival grounds.

While waiting for Tame Impala and Megan Thee Stallion to take the stage, lead your festival crew to group meditation, grocery-themed games, a country music club and campfire-style cook-out.

Here are your top five attractions not to miss on Friday.

Food

Ready for a campfire? Chef Justin Kingsley Hall of Main St. Provisions is curating a live-fire cooking experience with a rotating cast of local chefs across the weekend.

On Friday, Chef Laura Vargas from China Poblano by José Andrés will serve fire-roasted elote with a shrimp and coconut ceviche, Chef Crystina Nguyen of This Mama’s House will cook wood-fired lemongrass pork skewers with roasted sticky rice and Chef Sam Marvin of Echo & Rig will grill hanging tenderloin Icon XB Wagyu over California Red Oak.

In the Culinary Village, seek out Stripchezze Food Truck for crispy mac n’ cheese egg rolls and Saint Honore for luxe doughnuts and beignets.

Clockwise from bottom/left: Louis XIII couture, Le Chocolate, Pont Alexander and Raspberry Bere ... — Clockwise from bottom/left: Louis XIII couture, Le Chocolate, Pont Alexander and Raspberry Beret doughnuts at Saint Honore on Saturday, June 1, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Music

Headliners Tame Impala and Megan Thee Stallion will close out the first night with Tame Impala taking the Downtown Stage at 11:25 p.m. and Megan Thee Stallion taking the Bacardi Stage at 11:30 p.m.

Country fans can check out the new Western Country Club at the Western Hotel and Casino. The club will feature live bands including Las Vegas’ own The Rhyolite Sound, line dancing, games and lessons presented by Stoney’s Rockin’ Country.

Art

Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart will debut their “Micro-Breakroom” just several shopping cart lengths away from the Huntridge Stage.

Nate and Hila, the Omegamart employee trainers (Meow Wolf Las Vegas)

Rapping Omega Mart employees Nate and Hila will perform 45-minute sets with educationally comedic and creative hip-hop stylings inspired by the aisles of Omega Mart at 4:30 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Throughout the weekend, festival-goers will have the chance to earn the title of Employee of the Moment by participating in Omega Mart’s take on product research testing. There will also be grocery-themed games and a first look at Omega Mart’s brand new grocery delivery truck, hitting the streets this fall.

Experience

Deepak Chopra, a world-renowned pioneer in personal transformation and founder of The Chopra Foundation will lead daily events dedicated to health and well-being.

At 3:05 p.m., festival attendees are invited to join Chopra at the Fremont Stage and take part as he sets the intention for the weekend through a guided mass meditation.

Et cetera

A special version of Market in the Alley featuring over 50 sellers will take over Fremont Street between 10th & 11th. Find vendors creating and selling unique art, photography, jewelry, apothecary items, clothing, gifts, and more.

Contact Janna Karel at jkarel@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jannainprogress on Twitter.