WEEKEND PREVIEW: Fourth of July celebrations to be held across valley

Our Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is estimating 323,000 visitors will travel to our valley in celebration of the Declaration of Independence 241 years ago and spend just shy of $220 million while here to benefit our local economy.

• It’s a weekend of live music, pool parties, nightclub raves, parades, of course, fireworks, but also veteran Hollywood comedy director Mel Brooks’ debut as a storyteller at Steve Wynn’s Encore Theater. At Center Strip tomorrow (July 1) and Sunday (July 2), dancers, drumlins, stiltwalkers, flag-throwers and baton-twirlers will parade through the Linq from noon until 10 p.m. both days and nights.

• The fireworks display at center Strip blasts off shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday from the forecourt of Caesars Palace. The traditional Station Casinos’ fireworks will light up the valley for nine minutes from Red Rock Resort and the Green Valley Ranch at 9 p.m. Tuesday (July 4) and there’s no better way to view the colorful explosions than from a helicopter aerial tour after picnicking at the Hoover Dam.

Here’s the YouTube video of fireworks synchronized to the music of Heart of Courage to get you ready for the magic and majesty of July 4:

A hint: one of the best places to view the ‘main event’ in the sky is from the birds-eye High Roller view at the world’s tallest observation wheel in the Linq Promenade which lights up red, white and blue for the celebration.

• If you prefer music to the Roman candles, M-80’s, rockets, spinners and sparklers Ann Wilson has a free concert at the Fremont Street Experience on Monday (July 3) night. And, of course, there’s a powerhouse lineup of DJs at our clubs including Flosstradamus at Intrigue in the Wynn tonight (June 30), Jerzy at Tao Beach tomorrow (July 1) Marshmello and Diplo at the XS Nightswim parties on Sunday (July 2) and Monday (July 3) respectively.

• The party starts today (June 30) — actually DJ Tiesto kicked it off last night (June 29) at Hakkasan in MGM — and runs right through Tuesday night (July 4.) That’s 144 hours of celebration for America’s 241st birthday. So, let’s fire off “the big bang” and light up the night sky with our weekly Royal Robin Rundown:

FRIDAY JUNE 30

• Backstreet Boys at Planet Hollywood for two nights

• Future at T-Mobile Arena

• New Wave Rave – Tributes to The Cure & Duran Duran at House of Blues in Mandalay Bay

• Piff the Magic Dragon magic comedy show at the Flamingo through Tuesday (July 4).

• Raw Femme Artist Showcase with Jessica Manalo, Candy Warpop at Brooklyn Bowl in the Linq.

• Chris Young at Red Rock Pool

• American Trilogy at South Point through Sunday

• Foghat at Golden Nugget

• The Man in Black – Johnny Cash Tribute at The Orleans for two nights

COMEDY

• Jim Jeffries at The Mirage for two nights

• Jeff Dunham at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace

• Jon Lovitz and Dana Carvey at The Foundry at SLS

• Dee Jay Silver at Rehab for two days

SPECIAL NOTE

• Tickets on sale for Game Grumps at House of Blues July 16; Damian Marley – Stony Hill Fall Tour at House of Blues Oct. 8; Shakira at MGM Grand Garden Arena Feb.10

• An Evening with Mel Brooks at Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas for two nights

PARTY PATROL

• Official Backstreet Boys after-party at Chateau Nightclub for two nights

• Lil Jon at Jewel Nightclub

• DJ Calvin Harris with Generik at Omnia Nightclub in Caesars Palace. DJ Dash at Heart of Omnia and DJ Fergie on the Terrace of Omnia.

• DJ’s Kaskade at Hakkasan and Phoreyz at Ling Ling both in MGM Grand.

• DJ’s ASAP Ferg at 1Oak Nightclub and D.Miles at Bare Pool- both in the Mirage

• DJ Que at The Bank in Bellagio

• DJ Shift at Wet Republic in MGM

• DJ Gusto at Liquid Pool in Aria

SATURDAY JULY 1

• Rammstein with Korn & Stone Sour at T-Mobile Arena

• Ricky Martin at Park Theater at Monte Carlo for two nights

• Reba, Brooks & Dunn at Caesars Palace for two nights

• Ted Nugent at Sunset Station

• Walk down Memory Layne – Alice in Chains Tribute at Brooklyn Bowl

• Rumours – Fleetwood Mac Tribute at House of Blues

COMEDY

• Rob Schneider at Tropicana for two nights

SPECIAL NOTE

• Fourth of July Parade at The LINQ for two days and nights

• Second Annual Cornhole Tournament at the pool of Planet Hollywood

• Fourth of July Celebration at Foxtail Pool at SLS

• 27th Annual Independence Day Celebration at Laughlin Riverwalk

• Las Vegas Legends vs. Mexico Professional Indoor Soccer at The Orleans Arena

PARTY PATROL

• Puff Daddy at Vanity Nightclub

• Brody Jenner at Ghostbar

• Nervo at Jewel nightclub in Aria

• Zedd at Omnia Nightclub; Sean Perry at Heart of Omnia and Mikey Francis at the Omnia Terrace all in Caesars Palace.

• Tiesto with Dzeko at Hakkasan and DJ Stretch at Ling Ling both in MGM Grand.

• Jason Derulo at 1OAK in the Mirage

• DJ Wellman at The Bank in Bellagio

• Steve Aoki at Wet Republic in MGM

• WeAreTreo at Liquid Pool in Aria

• DJ Nova at Bare Pool in the Mirage

• Dee Jay Silver at Foundation Room in Mandalay Bay

• 8ky kicks off Fourth of July weekend at the Flamingo Go Pool

• Fourth of July Celebration at Rooftop Pool at Plaza Hotel Casino

SUNDAY JULY 2

• Metal Wars: Somewhere Thru Time vs. Mr.Crowley at Brooklyn Bowl

SPECIAL NOTE

• Fireworks at Caesars Palace

PARTY PATROL

• Mikey Francis at Terrace at Omnia Nightclub

• Matoma at Hakkasan Nightclub

• DJ Karma at The Bank- Bellagio

• Tiesto with Dzeko at Wet Republic, MGM

• Joseph Gettright at Liquid Pool-Aria

• DJ Greg Lopez at Bare Pool, Mirage

• Dee Jay Silver at Hideaway Pool at Topgolf

• DJ KoKo and Bayati at GO Pool, Flamingo

MONDAY JULY 3

• Iron Maiden at T-Mobile Arena

• Led Zepagain – Tribute to Led Zeppelin at House of Blues

• Ann Wilson of Heart at Fremont Street Experience

• Plus our first day of guest columns with Green Fairy chanteuse and burlesque queen Melody Sweets from the “Absinthe” show at Caesars Palace.

SPECIAL NOTE

• Fireworks Show at Cowabunga Bay water park

• Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts a Night of Fire

PARTY PATROL

• Steve Aoki at Jewel Nightclub- Aria

• Turbulance at Bare Pool-Mirage

TUESDAY JULY 4

SPECIAL NOTE

•The valley’s largest Fourth of July Parade in Summerlin marks the 23rd annual Summerlin Council Patriotic Parade with more than 35,000 people expected to view the more than 70 floats, giant inflatable balloons, bands and performing groups.

• The High Roller will light up red, white and blue for Independence Day

• 27th annual Independence Day Celebration at Laughlin Riverwalk

PARTY PATROL

DJ Kaskade, Wild at Heart and DJ Fergie all at Omnia Nightclub in Caesars Palace.

• Plus a guest column from Alain Rochefort on his 11 years as captain of the unique Blue Man Group. Baywatch stunner Angelica Bridges previews the new “ICandy” cabaret show she’ll MC that’s headed to the Strip this fall.

• For the remainder of the week — Wednesday, Thursday and Friday — our guest columnists will be Chumlee from Pawn Stars, comedians Dana Carvey, Jon Lovitz, hair guru Michael Boychuck, pinup queen Sabina Kelley from Australia and Mrs.Nevada America, Stephanie Barrett’s plans for the August pageant that could crown her Mrs. America and onto the Mrs. World contest.

As I depart for Greece and Italy, Happy Fourth to everybody in this Land of the Free! Be careful with the fireworks and enjoy five days and nights of sensational but safe partying.