New Year’s celebration at Springs Preserve tops the week’s best bets

FOOD & DRINK

NYE at Springs Preserve

The Divine Cafe at Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., will have one of the best views of the Strip fireworks on New Year’s Eve, as well as a DJ, a midnight Champagne toast and snacks such as sliders, pizzas and flatbreads. It’s $54 per person for those 21 and older; reservations must be made in advance at eventbrite.com.

Heidi Knapp Rinella

ARTS & LEISURE

NYE at the Magical Forest

Opportunity Village’s holiday fundraiser offers a family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. Ages 13 and younger receive free admission to the event featuring rides and attractions, a sparkling cider toast and a fireworks show at 9 p.m. Ages 14 and older must be accompanied by an adult. Child wristbands will be available for purchase. General admission is $20 at ovevents.org.

Madelon Hynes

MUSIC

The Offspring

Twenty-five years ago, punk rock exploded into the mainstream, the seismic boom detonated by two albums in particular: Green Day’s “Dookie” and The Offspring’s presciently titled “Smash.” Two and a half decades later, both remain among the genre’s strongest touring acts, the former delving into full-on stadium rock, the latter incorporating hip-hop and grunge flourishes into its alternately wry and searching songbook. With the Offspring preparing to release its first new album in eight years, get a potential taste of what’s to come at 9 p.m. Friday at The Pearl at the Palms. Tickets are $49.95 to $149.95; call 702-944-3200.

Jason Bracelin

MOVIES

‘The Polar Express’

It’s your last chance this holiday season to take part in a Date Skate night at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Sure, Christmas is over. And the movie being played on the resort’s 65-foot digital marquee is that animated creep-fest known as “The Polar Express.” But you can still skate on the hotel’s temporary ice rink or canoodle by a fire pit. Admission is free; skate rental is $15 for locals.

Christopher Lawrence

ARTS & LEISURE

Poetry event

Join Clark County Poet Laureate Heather Lang-Cassera at the opening of the new Little Free Library at the Winchester Cultural Center on Thursday. The community is invited to donate poetry books, participate in a reading or simply attend the free event starting at 6 p.m. For more information and to RSVP, email heather@cassera.net