What to do in Las Vegas this weekend

Las Vegas is getting a new color scheme this weekend. Between the sudden return of springtime foliage and Friday’s arrival of all things shamrock and emerald, the city is turning green. Welcome the new hues this weekend by indulging in green beer or the more traditional corned beef and cabbage. Or celebrate warmer weather at the Spring’s Preserve or one of the newly reopened pool parties.

Here are our Top Ten picks on what to see, eat and do this weekend in Las Vegas.

GRAB A BITE

Get your guava-chiffon pancake groove on at Cinnamon’s, where they are the house specialty. The Hawaiian restaurant specializes in sweet, tropical breakfast treats, and opened its only mainland restaurant in Las Vegas in December. Think Pistachio cream pancakes, macadamia cinnamon rolls, Hawaiian sweet bread french toast, you get the idea.

Why not welcome spring with a Farm Table dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Honey Salt, 1031 S. Rampart Blvd. It’ll begin with fried yellow perch, heirloom tomato toast and a pork-belly skewer. Next try some spring onion tortellini, leg of lamb with eggplant caponata, Gilcrease Orchard asparagus with local potatoes and rosemary, and carrot cake and an oatmeal-walnut cookie. It’s $54, with wine pairings for $25; visit www.honeysalt.com.

GET A DRINK

Your 8-year-old self never knew how much fun you could have with a push pop. Now you can get one with fresh fruit and 15 percent premium alcohol. That’s the concept of Buzz Pop Cocktails, which are being launched in Las Vegas Friday at Rehab at the Hard Rock Hotel and March 27 at Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas.

Drink unlimited brews for a good cause from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday and help New Vista, a nonprofit dedicated to helping intellectually challenged people. Tickets for the 10th Brew’s Best Beer Festival are $30 in advance, $35 at the gate for general admission or $40/$45 for VIP, with opening at 1 p.m.

SEE A SHOW

Albumpalooza, the monthly series at the Downtown Grand, re-creates classic albums from start to finish, even if they have the occasional song that typically makes people hit “skip.”

“We’re trying to keep the spirit of the album alive. People don’t really play albums anymore,” says John Menniti, the producer and booking agent who created this series, which stems from his previous “In Its Entirety” at Station Casinos.

“Abbey Road” and other Beatles hits will be free at 9 p.m. Saturday in Freedom Beat inside the Grand (future shows will move out to the pool area).

“Matilda the Musical” is no mere kiddie show. Not with Roald Dahl’s sly, subversive humor powering the proceedings.

The wonderful writer who brought us indelible tales like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” also created “Matilda’s” singular world. It’s the kind of world where children have life lessons to teach. If only the heedless, clueless — and sometimes heartless — so-called adults would pay attention. It’s playing Saturday and Sunday at The Smith Center.

ROCK OUT

Since debuting 20 years ago, Death Cab for Cutie has steadily progressed from indie rock darlings to heart-on-the-sleeve headliners of large halls. Death Cab’s success is rooted in the band’s skill at powering ornately crafted songs with emotions that are far less finely wrought, a contrast of the intricate and the unadorned. See them at 8 p.m. Friday night at the Chelsea at Cosmopolitan.

As a singer-songwriter and bandleader, Chris Heers has long been one of Vegas’ most accomplished and diverse musicians, with a repertoire ranging from country western swing to earthy Americana. For two decades, Heers has been as much of a fixture in Vegas honky-tonks as boot-scuffed dance floors and chaw-ripened lower lips, both on stage and off. To make some new friends in low places, Heers guided us to Vegas’ best honky-tonks.

CATCH A MOVIE

There’s just no way that a remake was going to improve on “Beauty and the Beast.” The 1991 classic was the only animated feature nominated for a best picture Oscar until the category was expanded from five to as many as 10 nominees in 2009. (Only Disney-Pixar’s “Up” and “Toy Story 3” have made the cut since.) With that said, if they absolutely had to remake “Beauty and the Beast,” the result is about as good as could have been expected. And it’s certainly better than the stage version. See the full review here.

Las Vegan Paige O’Hara (the original Belle) opened up about passing the torch — or the singing candelabra — to Emma Watson.

STAY IN

Billionaire Danny Rand (Finn Jones) returns to New York City after several years to fight crime in “Iron Fist” (Friday, Netflix), thefinal piece of Marvel’s upcoming “The Defenders” team-up.

It’s “cuchi cuchi!” time as onetime Strip regular Charo joins the new season of “Dancing With the Stars” (8 p.m. Monday, ABC), alongside Chris Kattan, Nancy Kerrigan and Mr. T.

CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK’S DAY

Fill up on St. Patrick’s Day-inspired fare like this Shamrocked cocktail from Therapy. The luck of the Irish just may come with a mix of Midori, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey and Irish cream, topped with whipped cream and mint, $10 through the end of the month.

Attend one of Las Vegas’ many St. Patrick’s Day Parties like the one at Ri Ra at Mandalay Place, featuring Irish entertainment, cuisine and more, through Sunday. On Friday, the event will feature live music, giveaways, Irish dancers, bagpiper and a special menu. See more parties here.

CASTING CALL

HBO’s “Ballers,” starring Dwayne Johnson, is looking for paid background extras for its upcoming Las Vegas episode that’s scheduled to film March 20 to 25. The series is seeking athletes, upscale gamblers, pool party types and real hotel staff.

The open casting call is taking place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Red Label Bar and Lounge, 332 W. Sahara Ave. See more of the requirements here.

POOL SEASON

XS Nightclub’s popular Sunday night pool party returns with DJ Snake. Doors open at 10 p.m. at Wynn Las Vegas. General-admission tickets start at $30 for men and $20 for women (xslasvegas.com).

Hyde Bellagio celebrates the start of pool season with its “Baewatch” extravaganza Sunday. Guests will enter a beach-themed paradise with decorations and hundreds of pounds of confetti, Champagne showers, cocktails and a DJ. Doors open at 6 p.m. at Bellagio. Tickets start at $20 for ladies, $30 for men or $100 for a VIP fast pass. Pool, beach and swimwear recommended(hydebellagio.com).

WELCOME SPRING

Spring may be a few days away, but the Springs Preserve’s butterfly habitat is already aflutter with hundreds of colorful butterflies — and an array of equally colorful plants that sustain them — from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily (weather permitting) in the Botanical Garden. The habitat entrance fee is $2 for members, $3 for nonmembers; admission to the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., is $4.95 to $9.95 for locals, $8.95 to $18.95 for visitors. Call 702-822-7700 or click on www.springspreserve.org for details.