12K tickets in 3½ hours issued for Las Vegas block party

Organizers had announced an expected crowd of 10,000 at a free festival at the Historic Commercial Center.

Fan demand wiped out that number.

A total of 12,000 free tickets were issued for Thursday’s “Fabulous Historic Commercial Center Block Party.” Tickets were required for the no-admission-show event, and those were distributed in 3½ hours during an online campaign.

EDM star Deadmau5 is the night’s headliner. Nina DiGregorio’s Bella Strings and Franky Perez fill the night’s music bill.

Gates open at 6 p.m., Bella Strings will perform at 7 p.m., followed by Perez at 8 p.m. and Deadmau5 at 9 p.m. Ride-share is strongly encouraged as parking on the site and at surrounding businesses is limited.

According to a county spokesman, Deadmau5 is scheduled end his set at 10 p.m. When he’s done, so is the event.

Big-scale art (including El Pulpo Mecanico from Burning Man), assorted food trucks, dozens of Vegas artists and Deadmau5’s Forest House are in this one-night festival.

And to clarify the future of one side of Commercial Center: Derek Stonebarger’s Arty’s Steakhouse is set up in the 9,000-square-foot space that was once owned and operated by Cue Club. But Cue Club owner Henry Nogiec reminds that the remaining 6,000-square-foot piece of the business, which will be connected to Arty’s, is still open as a pool hall.

Nogiec downsized at the start of the pandemic in 2020, selling off the larger property to Stonebarger’s Epic Taverns. At one time, Cue Club offered 60 tables and was the largest pool club in Vegas.

Stonebarger says his business, which will display hundreds of art pieces, is like “Rebar on steroids.” Stonebarger owns that Arts District business, too. He says Arty’s will open as soon as this October, or as far out as October ’24. But it is coming, and it should be a game-changer.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.