Celebrate Hanukkah with parties, food and menorah lightings
The first night of Hanukkah begins at sundown on Nov. 28.
The eight-day Jewish “festival of lights” usually falls in late-November or mid-December. This year, Hanukkah menorahs will be lit soon after Thanksgiving dinners and Black Friday shopping.
Hanukkah is commonly celebrated with gift exchanges, traditional foods such as latkes and nightly lightings of a menorah called a hanukiah.
Below are festive events in which everyone can celebrate the Jewish holiday in the Las Vegas Valley.
Grand Menorah lighting, Nov. 28
Fremont Street Experience will celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with the lighting of the Grand Menorah in downtown Las Vegas on Nov. 28 beginning at 4:30 p.m.
The ceremony, featuring a 20-foot-tall Grand Menorah, will be led by Rabbi Levi Harlig and Rabbi Shea Harlig from Chabad of Southern Nevada to welcome the holiday known as the Festival of Lights.
The menorah will remain on display through the Hanukkah season. vegasexperience.com
Menorah Lighting, Dec. 1
Celebrate the fourth night of Hanukkah with Jewish Nevada at Downtown Summerlin. The event will have a menorah lighting, kids’ activities, a photo booth, doughnuts, hot cocoa, entertainment and ice skating at the Rock Rink.
The event kicks off at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, with a menorah lighting at 5 p.m. at The Dining Arroyo at Downtown Summerlin. summerlin.com/downtown-summerlin
Menorah Lighting, Dec. 2
Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft will host a menorah lighting ceremony in the rotunda of the Clark County Government Center in downtown Las Vegas, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, on Thursday.
The celebration will begin with jelly donuts and refreshments at 5 p.m. and the menorah lighting at 5:30 p.m.
Following the menorah lighting, dancing dreidels will perform.
The event will stream at Facebook.com/ClarkCountyNV, Instagram.com/ClarkCountyNV and Twitter.com/ClarkCountyNV.
Free arcade tokens
Emporium Arcade Bar Las Vegas at Area15 will offer 10 free game tokens for guests visiting during the eight nights of Hanukkah from Nov. 28 through Dec. 5.
Hanukkah dishes
Bottiglia Cucina & Enoteca, located at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, will offer a Hanukkah menu available for dine-in and take out from Nov. 28 to Dec. 6.
The Hanukkah menu includes challah bread with honey butter, $10; shaved carrot and radish salad with arugula and citrus vinaigrette, $13; braised brisket with red wine demi, rainbow carrots and mashed potatoes, $29; and apple pie knish with cinnamon crème anglaise, $10. Reservations are encouraged and can be made on the website here or by calling 702-617-7191. bottiglialv.com
Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar at Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa in Summerlin, will offer a Hannukah menu available for dine-in and take out from Nov. 28 to Dec. 6.
The menu of “Hearthstone’s Hanukkah Favorites” includes homemade challah bread with honey butter, $10; traditional potato latkes with smoked salmon, capers, dill crème fraiche and shallots, $15; beef brisket with glazed rainbow carrot, pearl onion, red wine demi and sweet potato, $29; and chocolate babka bread pudding with French vanilla ice cream, kosher chocolate and caramel sauce and fresh mint, $10. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling 702-797-7344.
The Miracle on Spring Mountain holiday-themed pop-up bar is taking over The Sand Dollar Lounge, 3355 Spring Mountain Road.
The Las Vegas location of the Miracle Bar Popup will transform the lounge into a fully immersive Winter Wonderland from Nov. 22 through a New Year’s Eve celebration.
On Nov. 28, the bar will celebrate a Vodka and Latke Party with free latkes and cheap vodka shots. thesanddollarlv.com
Contact Janna Karel at jkarel@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jannainprogress on Twitter.