Things to do in Paradise/Downtown

In Your Neighborhood

The 16th annual Bite of Las Vegas food and music festival is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 29 at Desert Breeze Park, 8275 Spring Mountain Road. Headliners include Matchbox Twenty, Alanis Morissette, Ed Sheeran, Rebecca Ferguson, Tristan Prettyman and Phillip Phillips. Tickets are $13. Children 8 or younger get in free. Visit mix941fm.cbslocal.com. Local bands are set to compete for a spot in the festival at the Battle for Bite at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Tickets are $12. Visit houseofblues.com or call 632-7600.

Aid for AIDS of Nevada plans its 26th annual Black and White Party from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel's Nirvana Pool, 4455 Paradise Road. General admission is $35. VIP tickets start at $100. The benefit is set to feature food and drinks from various local restaurants and live entertainment. Call 382-2326 or visit afanlv.org.

Jazzin' Jeanne Brei & The Speakeasy Swingers plan to perform a free concert at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. The jazz ensemble is slated to perform tunes from the '30s, '40s and '50s. A free screening of the sci-fi film "John Carter" is scheduled at 2 p.m. Saturday at the library. Call 507-3400 or visit lvccld.org.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Nevada Conservatory Theatre plans to present "God Lives in Glass" at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Judy Bayley Theatre, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. The show is set to feature a 50-voice choir, a 14-piece orchestra and a 12-member dance ensemble. Tickets are $25, and proceeds benefit homeless assistance organization Family Promise of Las Vegas and the Nevada Conservatory Theatre. Call 895-3663 or visit pac.unlv.edu.

The Las Vegas Senior Center, 451 E. Bonanza Road, plans to host a pancake breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday, featuring hotcakes, eggs and bacon. The cost is $3, and registration is required. Call 229-6454 or visit lasvegasnevada.gov.

USA Dance plans to host a Latin night ballroom dancing event from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush St. A salsa lesson taught by Nancy Nies of Dance Charisma is scheduled at
7:30 p.m. The cost is $5 for USA Dance members, military personnel and students 13 to 25 and $10 for adults. Call 813-6694 or visit usadancelasvegas.org.

Table 8 Productions plans to present "Summer Camp! The Musical" at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Onyx Theatre, 953 E. Sahara Ave. The musical, which is based on 1980s teen-sex-comedy cinema, features a splash zone and is for adults only. Tickets are $15. Call 732-7225 or visit onyxtheatre.com.

Locals can use the code 241LOCAL to get two-for-one tickets to "Mythbusters Behind the Myths Tour" scheduled Aug. 31 through Sept. 2 at the Palazzo. Tickets start at $66. Visit palazzo.com or call 414-9000.

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South, plans to host free public viewing parties for Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" at 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Sept. 26 at the Boulevard Pool. The Cosmopolitan is the host hotel for the television show. Call 698-7000 or visit cosmopolitanlas
vegas.com.

For information on shows scheduled at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave., call 749-2000 or visit thesmithcenter.com. Shows scheduled at the center include Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers, Wednesday; The Symphonic Rockshow, Friday; and Spectrum and Radiance, Saturday. The musical "Wicked" is scheduled to run Aug. 29 through Oct. 7. Tickets for The Smith Center's fall season, with performers such as Bryan Adams, John Tesh, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Ben Vereen, Jim Brickman, Sergio Mendes, Betty Buckley and Doc Severinsen scheduled, are on one sale now.

Rave Motion Pictures at Town Square Las Vegas, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. South, plans to host free movies during its Family Film Festival at 10 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Call 362-7283 or visit ravecinemas.com.

The Jenny Valdez Inc. Gallery inside The Arts Factory, 107 E. Charleston Blvd., has issued a call to artists to create works in the theme "Under The Sea" for the September First Friday. Submissions are due Sept. 1. Email Valdez at alettertojenny@gmail.com for an application.

The Fremont Street Experience, 425 Fremont St., plans to host Dee Snider from Twisted Sister with Jac&Jill in the final Rock of Vegas concert at 9 p.m. Sept. 1 on the Third Street Stage. Call 678-5777 or visit vegasexperience.com.

Ongoing exhibits/EVENTS

The Lied Discovery Children's Museum, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. North, plans to showcase the exhibit "Torn From Home: My Life as a Refugee" through Dec. 16. Call 382-3445 or visit ldcm.org.

The Bet on the Farm! Farmers Market is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. Admission is free. Most farmers accept only cash. Visit springspreserve.org or betonthefarm.com or call 822-7700.

The Downtown 3rd Farmers Market is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays at Third Street between Stewart and Ogden avenues in the old downtown transportation hub building. Visit downtown3rd.com.

Happy Hour Improv is scheduled to host a "Jam Session" from 7 to 9 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of the month at Theatre7, 1406 S. Third St. For a $10, cash-only fee, audience members will have an opportunity to participate in the improv show. Visit happyhourimprov.com or call 372-3201.

Award-winning pieces from the Clark County 12th annual Celebrating Life! fine arts competition for residents 50 or older are scheduled to be on display at the City Hall Chamber Gallery through Sept. 6. Call 229-1012 or 229-4631.

The Brett Wesley Gallery, 1112 S. Casino Center Blvd., plans exhibit "LUSH" by Chris Bauder through Sept. 29. Visit brettwesleygallery.com.

The Trifecta Gallery inside The Arts Factory is set to showcase "6191 Miles" by Leonardo Aguirre di Matteo through the end of August.

The City of the World, 1229 S. Casino Center Blvd., is slated to showcase "Summer Days," a juried show featuring artwork from children and adults throughout August.

The Sin City Gallery inside The Arts Factory is slated to showcase works by Steve Diet Goedde through Sunday.

The Rotunda Gallery inside the Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, plans to show "Inner Sanctum" by Troy Gillett through October. The show is constructed from reclaimed Las Vegas doors in various states of decay. A reception and preview is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 6. Gillet is also scheduled to make appearances during First Friday festivities from 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 7 and Oct. 5. Gillet is scheduled to talk about this work at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 4. Visit clarkcountynv.gov/parks.

Plan ahead

The Contemporary Arts Center inside The Arts Factory, 107 E. Charleston Blvd., plans to show Aaron Nemic's participatory audio and video project "Less Popular Music" Sept. 6-Oct. 27. An opening reception is scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 6. An artist's talk is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 6. Visit lasvegascac.org or call 382-3886.

Tickets for the Las Vegas Philharmonic's nine shows in Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave., are on sale Wednesday through The Smith Center and Las Vegas Philharmonic's box offices. Performances, which include "Pops," "An American Portrait" and more, are slated to run from Oct. 20 to May 4. Tickets range from $46 to $96, with discounts available for students and seniors. Call 749-2000 or visit thesmithcenter.com or lvphil.org.

The Knights of Columbus plan an all-ages Saturday Night Stomp swing dance party the second Saturday of most months at 911 E. Ogden Ave. Lessons are scheduled at 7 p.m., and social dancing is set to run from 8 p.m. to midnight. The dress code prohibits jeans. Upcoming themes include: 1950s, Sept. 8; Masquerade, Oct. 13; USO, Nov. 10; and Holiday, Dec. 8. Admission is $5, cash only. Visit saturdaynightstomp.com.

The Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society plans to open its 50th anniversary season with "Songs of Our Politics" slated for 2 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 McLeod Drive. The program, featuring the 22-voice Musical Arts singers and instrumental ensemble, under the direction of Douglas R. Peterson, is set to bring to life more than 200 years of presidential campaign music. John Hanks is to provide historical narration containing anecdotes about America's political parties and the candidates for the presidency. Keyboard accompaniment will be provided by Eric Eichorst. The Musical Singers ensemble has performed "Songs of Our Politics" every four years prior to each presidential election season since 1992. Roger Wilhelm, composer of "Songs of Our Politics," is a former music director of Madrigal, a vocal ensemble of the Rochester Oratorio Society. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 the day of the event. Call 455-7340 or visit snmas.com or call 451-6672.

Worth a Drive

"The Glass Mendacity," a comedy mash-up of characters from Tennessee Williams' plays by Maureen Morley and Tom Willmorth, is scheduled to open Friday and run at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 9 at the Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive. Tickets range from $10 to $15. Visit lvlt.org.

LVLT Studio Theatre in association with Poor Richard's Players plans a production of David Mamet's "November" at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive. Tickets range from $11 to $12. Visit lvlt.org.

"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" is scheduled to run as part of Super Summer Theatre at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park on state Route 159 about 10 miles west of the Las Vegas Beltway. Parking opens at 5 p.m., and meadow seating opens at 6 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or rent a chair in general-admission grass seating. Advance tickets are $12. A limited number of tickets may be available at the gate for $20. Visit supersummertheatre.org.

"The Magic of Devereaux" is slated for 7 p.m. Saturday at the Starbright Theater, 2215 Thomas W. Ryan Blvd. Tickets are $13 for Sun City Summerlin residents and $25 for nonresidents. Call 240-1301.

Two days of festivities are planned at the South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. South., for the 2012 Ms. Senior Nevada Pageant. A Ms. Senior Nevada Talent Showcase featuring top contestants from 1986-2011 is scheduled at 1 p.m. today. Admission is $10. The Nevada state pageant is scheduled at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $20. A Queens Reception is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday. Visit msseniornevada.com or call 458-9899.

Salsa Under the Stars is scheduled to feature a live salsa band, dancers, an open dance and outdoor cash bars from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday at Tivoli Village, 302 S. Rampart Blvd. Visit tivolivillagelv.com.

Kidville at Tivoli Village, 420 S. Rampart Blvd., Suite 130, is slated to host its second annual Kids Fest benefiting the Goodie Two Shoes Foundation from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Mix 94.1's Mercedes Martinez is scheduled to host the event, which will feature a concert, craft projects, gym games, snacks and more. Admission is a minimum donation of $10 or a new, tagged and boxed pair of sneakers for the foundation. Call 233-9253 or visit kidville.com/tivolivillage.