Top 10 things to do in Las Vegas this week
SPORTS
South Point 400 weekend
Kyle Larson is coming off a win last weekend at Charlotte, which has him sitting atop the NASCAR standings as he looks to defend his South Point 400 title. The race is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Tickets start at $64; ticketmaster.com. Before that, it’s the Ambetter Health 302 Xfinity Series playoff race at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $28; ticketmaster.com.
Christopher Lawrence
MUSIC
Brad Paisley
An ace guitar player with a wry sense of humor, Brad Paisley has long been a comedic craftsman like no other in Nashville. But on his latest album, the forthcoming “Son of the Mountains,” Paisley takes a more sobering turn on single “Same Here,” a stirring ballad inspired by the war in Ukraine that features an appearance by the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. See Paisley at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas. Tickets start at $55; ticketmaster.com.
Jason Bracelin
THEATER
‘Back to the Future: The Musical’
Whoa, this is heavy! “Back to the Future: The Musical” is making its Las Vegas debut as part of the Broadway Las Vegas Series. Head back in time with Marty McFly at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, with additional performances through Nov. 3, in Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center. Tickets start at $40.30; thesmithcenter.com.
Christopher Lawrence
BOOKS
Las Vegas Book Festival
The Pope of Trash is coming to Las Vegas. John Waters, the twisted mind behind “Pink Flamingos” and “Hairspray,” will headline the Las Vegas Book Festival with a discussion of his first novel, “Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance.” That’s scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Saturday at the Historic Fifth Street School. Tracy Wolff, author of the “Crave” series, will talk about her work at 12:30 p.m. And Nicola Yoon will discuss her newest book, “One of Our Kind,” at 4 p.m. Admission is free; lasvegasbookfestival.com.
Christopher Lawrence
BEER
Downtown Brew Festival
The Downtown Brew Festival, presented by Motley Brews, runs from 5 to 9 p.m. (4 p.m. VIP entry) Saturday at the Clark County Amphitheater, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway. The event features more than 200 brews from 60 breweries, food pairings from local restaurants and live music. Tickets start at $55; downtownbrewfestival.com.
Johnathan L. Wright
MUSIC
Lenny Kravitz
“You got to breathe and have some fun,” soulful, throwback rocker Lenny Kravitz commands on “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” one of his many hits. Ensuring that you do just that, Kravitz is launching his “Blue Electric Light Las Vegas” residency. Bell-bottoms are optional. See Kravitz at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Wednesday at Dolby Live at Park MGM. Tickets start at $49; ticketmaster.com.
Jason Bracelin
MOVIES
‘Ghosts of Goldfield’
Debbie Isaacs is once again turning lemons into lemonade with “The Most Horrible Horror Movie Ever.” The eighth annual screening of the campy horror film “Ghosts of Goldfield,” which Isaacs produced in 2007, will benefit her nonprofit Unshakeable, which aids women recovering from traumas. Filmed entirely in Goldfield and Tonopah, the movie counts Kellan Lutz and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper among its stars. The fundraiser is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at The Beverly Theater and includes light bites and an open bar. Donations are requested; unshakeable.org.
Christopher Lawrence
ANNIVERSARY
Fireworks Festival
From 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Rampart Casino at the Resort at Summerlin will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a Fireworks Festival featuring a 10-minute pyrotechnics show starting at 7 p.m., food trucks and a live DJ. Overflow parking is available at Tivoli Village across the street. A free shuttle service runs during the festival; follow signs for pickup and drop-off locations.
Johnathan L. Wright
COMEDY
Nick Swardson
Taking potty humor to a literal level, hard-partying comic Nick Swardson is back on the road with his “Toilet Head” tour. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry (if the bar runs dry, for some reason), you’ll wake up with a hangover, most likely. See Swardson at 8:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Summit Showroom at The Venetian. Tickets start at $41; ticketmaster.com.
Jason Bracelin
NIGHTLIFE
Disco of the Dead
From 9 p.m. to midnight Thursday, The Golden Tiki, 3939 Spring Mountain Road, will present Disco of the Dead, with classic disco hits spun by DJs Undead Tone Def, Pat and Skyler Villain. Dress in your best ’70s attire for this spooky throwback.
Johnathan L. Wright
