Shake your maracas on Cinco de Mayo

Break out your sombrero and maracas. Start pouring the cerveza and tequila. It’s time for Cinco de Mayo.

The popular holiday celebrating Mexican heritage and pride arrives Monday, with the one of the biggest parties taking place at Dos Caminos inside the Palazzo.

The celebration, featuring surprise acts and a talented lineup of DJs, will be highlighted by a performance from Latin Grammy nominees Bostich & Fussible of The Nortec Collective.

Made up of five artists, The Nortec Collective performs a style of music they invented — a fusion of Norteño (“from the North”) and techno, documenting the collision between electronica and traditional Mexican music.

Everything gets rolling in the Sala Lounge at 7 p.m. inside Dos Caminos. For more information, call 577-9600.

Lohan hits Vegas — Troubled starlet Lindsay Lohan made a rare visit to Las Vegas last weekend with gal pal Samantha Ronson, but failed to show up at any nightlife venues across the city during her stay.

It was heavily rumored that Lohan, who checked in at the Planet Hollywood Resort on Friday afternoon with Ronson, would hit the Hawaiian Tropic Zone at the Miracle Mile Shops since Ronson was deejaying the grand opening of the restaurant’s Torrid nightclub.

Big weekend scheduled at Palms venues — Things should be kicking at the Palms hot spots this weekend, highlighted by the return of the weekly “Ditch Fridays” pool party.

Rapper Biz Markie hosts tonight’s festivities at the weekly “Music Is the Currency” party at Rain.

The weekend’s fun will be capped Sunday when Adam 12 hits the “After Dark” party at the Playboy Club with DJ 88. For more information, log on at www.palms.com and www.n9negroup.com.

Puff adds weekly special — Puff Lounge, one of the city’s latest nightlife venues, kicked off its weekly Rock N’ Roll Wednesdays party this week.

The event, which is designed to support the area rock music scene, will feature live performances from musicians and bands from 9 p.m. to midnight Wednesdays at Puff, 1030 E. Flamingo Road.

For more information, log on at www.pufflounge.com or call 221-PUFF. Patrons must be 21 years or older to attend.

Sightings of the weekend — Washington Redskins defender Shawn Springs and San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, visited Tryst (Wynn) on Saturday.

Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. checked out the performance from rappers Sugar Hill Gang with his mother and sister Saturday at Poetry (Forum Shops at Caesars).

Strip Las Vegas magazine cover model Valentina Vaughn hosted Saturday’s party at the Hawaiian Tropic Zone. Also at the Hawaiian Tropic Zone: Penthouse Pets Erica Ellyson and Victoria Zdrok.

At Pure (Caesars Palace) on Saturday: actor Wilmer Valderrama, former BMX star Carey Hart and Playboy Playmate Erica Chevillar.

At LAX (Luxor) on Saturday: singer/actress Raven Simone, singer Jesse McCartney and UFC fighter Gray Maynard. McCartney also was spotted at Venus Pool Club (Caesars Palace) and Company American Bistro (Luxor).

Music producer Scott Storch and former NFL stars Richard Dent and Eric Dickerson were spotted at Privé (Planet Hollywood Resort) on Saturday for the Tattooed Millionaire party and Christian Audigier fashion show.

Jeremy Pond covers the nightclub scene for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Vegas Confidential. His column appears Fridays in Neon and online at www.lvrj.com and www.normclarke.com. He can be reached at 383-0298 or via e-mail at jpond@reviewjournal.com.