10 best things to do in Las Vegas this weekend, July 28-30
Enjoy some whimsy in Las Vegas this weekend.
Rather than seeing a sleek modern show, journey back in time to the early days of the 20th century with “Circus 1903.”
For a less family-friendly version, see the clown version of film noir with “Clown Bar” downtown.
Round out your whimsical weekend with a sushi cupcake from Jaburritos and see a haunting take on love and loss rather than a spooky one in “A Ghost Story.”
Here are your top picks for the best things to see, eat and do in Las Vegas this weekend.
Grab a bite
We’ve had the cupcake craze, and the sushi craze seems to be eternal. Sushi cupcakes, then, were likely inevitable. Crisp wonton-wrapper shells are filled with sushi in three varieties. They’re available in boxes of four (two spicy tuna and one smoked salmon and one spicy surimi crab) for $12 at Jaburritos. Find out more about sushi cupcakes here.
Sweetspot’s specialty is made-to-order ice cream. Customers select a base, either premium (milk) or sorbet (water), as well as mix-ins and toppings. Sweetspot then pours in the liquid nitrogen, producing a vapor cloud and solidifying the ice cream in seconds. Read more about Sweetspot Nitrogen Ice Cream & Boba Tea here.
Get a drink
In this signature beverage of the hot, new Black Sheep, the flavor of soju is hidden behind a sour overall beverage with an intense heat from the Thai chilies that lingers in the back of the mouth but doesn’t hamper your ability to make out other tastes. All of this is mellowed a bit when sipped through some frothy egg whites. Learn how to make the La Flama Blanca yourself here.
The Kung Fu Tea chain was founded by New Yorkers who imported a bubble tea master from Taiwan. They serve it in numerous varieties and this fall will offer seasonal pumpkin oolong milk and brown sugar ginger teas. See five of the best boba spots in Las Vegas here.
See a show
“Circus 1903” boasts an impressive array of acrobats, jugglers, wire-walkers, contortionists, trick bicyclists and more. As for the circus animals, “Circus 1903” features two captivating substitutes: Queenie and Peanut, a mother-and-child elephant puppet team created by the folks behind Broadway’s “War Horse” and brought to life by multiple puppeteers. See “Circus 1903: The Golden Age of Circus” at Paris Las Vegas at 7 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. Read more about Circus 1903 here.
Rock out
The Who is probably the greatest rock and roll band ever. Three reasons why? 1. They popularized the rock opera. 2. They’re responsible for the Marshall stack. 3. They turned feedback into an art form. Not convinced? Judge for yourself during their two-week residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. It kicks off at 8 p.m. Saturday. See more about why The Who is the best here.
Catch a movie
Don’t let the title fool you. The scares are scarce in “A Ghost Story,” and it’s all the better for it. Haunting in a totally different way, the latest from writer-director David Lowery (“Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”) is a hypnotic, almost meditative look at love, loss and legacy. “A Ghost Story” is playing at Green Valley Ranch and Suncoast. Read the full review here.
Stay in
Shanda & the Howlers’ new record, “Trouble,” is the band’s first. It’s an album rooted in vintage sounds — think LaVern Baker, Howlin’ Wolf, Stax Records — but it never feels nostalgic. Too often, bands that explicitly mine the past can feel like a study in form, elevating style above substance. What makes this Las Vegas band stand out is they internalize their influences and then create something fresh from familiar sources. You can order the album on their website. See more about Shanda & the Howlers here.
Donate water, get free pizza
When Metro Pizza co-owner John Arena announced that anyone who brings in a case of bottled water would get a free cheese pizza in return, he expected to collect a couple of hundred cases. By Thursday the total was more than 1,400. The drive continues through Monday. To participate, take a case of 24 12-ounce bottles of water to any Metro Pizza location (except the one at Ellis Island) and in return you can get a free small cheese pizza, dine-in only. There’s no limit. Read more about the drive here.
Head downtown for “Clown Bar”
What would film noir be like if it were performed live, by clowns? That’s the question the Majestic Repertory Theater set out to answer in its production of “Clown Bar.” Clowns mingle with guests in the nightclub-style setting as they give us a look into the worlds of clown murder, clown burlesque, the underground clown drug trade and even clown sex (which involves its fair share of props). The show closes this weekend, and tickets for Friday and Saturday are $25. See more downtown events here.
News Bureau
Anyone look familiar? Help the Las Vegas News Bureau and Nevada State Museum put names to some of the unidentified people seen in old photos from their collections. The photos will be displayed in an interactive exhibit, “Las Vegas Lineup,” through Oct. 1 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. See the photos here.
See The Killers on Monday
Two of Vegas’ biggest names are reuniting, as The Killers are set to perform on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Monday.
The band will play a six-song set scheduled to start at 8 p.m. outside Caesars Palace, with the concert being broadcast as part of Kimmel’s show. Find out how to watch the show here.
