Tony Hsieh celebration slated for downtown Las Vegas this weekend
Container Park in downtown Las Vegas will be the site of a community celebration Saturday to commemorate what would have been Tony Hsieh’s 48th birthday.
The community event dubbed Wake Up the Night is part of joint efforts by DTP Companies, which the former Zappos CEO started with a $350 million investment in downtown Las Vegas’ revitalization; Zappos.com and the city of Las Vegas to mark the late visionary’s birthday, which falls on Dec. 12.
“Tony Hsieh dedicated his life to creating experiences that surprised and delighted everyone around him,” the DTP Companies said on its website. “It is in that spirit that Zappos, DTP Companies and The City of Las Vegas have built a community celebration in honor of what would have been his 48th birthday.”
Hsieh died on Nov. 27, 2020, from injuries suffered in a Connecticut house fire. He was 46.
A joint announcement released Tuesday from DTP Companies, Zappos and the city of Las Vegas said “community-wide celebrations filled with events and activations that Tony loved will be in effect to commemorate Tony’s birthday, deemed ‘Tony Hsieh Day’ by Zappos and DTP.’”
The city and Zappos will kick off the festivities with an invitation-only renaming of the Zappos Council Chambers to the “Tony Hsieh Theater.”
The livestreamed event, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Zappos Plaza Courtyard in downtown Las Vegas, will include the Tony Hsieh Award Launch hosted by TED Talk speaker Keith Ferrazzi, a series of short inspirational talks, and the debut of the theater. The link for the livestream is https://www.thetonyhsiehaward.com.
Listed speakers include Ward 5 City Councilman Cedric Crear, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, singer Jewel, entrepreneur Peter Diamandis, former Zappo’s Chairman Alfred Lin, Plaza CEO Jonathan Jossel and Circa CEO Derek Stevens.
On Saturday evening, the public is invited to attend Wake Up the Night at Container Park. Events will run from 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday and include an Art Car showcase, live music and variety show.
Performers at the variety show include DJ Sadako and DJ Wizdumb, DJ Jamaal Long, juggler Jason Garfield, drag performer Des’ree D. St. James, Peter Chung, comedians Jason Harris and Shayma Tash and more.
Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter.