Things to do in Paradise/Downtown Aug. 28-Sept. 3

In Your Neighborhood

Southern Nevada Old Time Contra Dancers plan to host a dance at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush St. The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for members, students and military personnel and $3 for children 15 or younger and adult spectators. Call 229-6383 or visit artslasvegas.org.

An exhibition filled with Springs Preserve Photo Contest winners is scheduled to be on display through Oct. 7 in the Big Springs Gallery at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. This year's theme was "Las Vegas at Work." Admission is included with Springs Preserve admission. Visit springspreserve.org or call 822-7700.

Hollywood Independents plans to present Jorge Ameer's "The Dark Side of Love" and "D'Agostino" as a double feature at 4:30 and 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at the Onyx Theatre, 953 E. Sahara Ave. Tickets are $10 each. Call 732-7225 or visit onyxtheatre.com.

Atlas Theatre and The Box Office plan to present Patrick Marber's play "Closer" at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 6, 10, 13, 14 and 15 and at 4 p.m. Sept. 9 at The Box Office, 1129 S. Casino Center Blvd. Tickets are $15. Call 388-1515 or visit atlastheatre.org.

The Off the Strip New Genres Festival is set to showcase contemporary performance and video art starting at 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at The Contemporary Arts Center, 107 E. Charleston Blvd. Two-day tickets are $15 or $10 for CAC members. Visit lasvegascac.org or call 382-3886. A festival opening party is planned from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at Emergency Arts, 520 Fremont St.

The Las Vegas Natural History Museum, 900 Las Vegas Blvd. North, is slated to host guest speakers on dinosaurs at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Victoria Goring is scheduled to speak during the first two sessions on James Gurney's "Dinotopia," and Joe Iacuzzo is expected to speak at the last session on "Dinosaur Apocalypse: A Climate Change Story." Call 384-3466 or visit lvnhm.org.

A free screening of "Viva Zapata!" is scheduled at 1 p.m. Sept. 4 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. The library also plans a screening of "The Lorax" at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Visit lvccld.org.

Paul Kongpil Chong plans to produce a free concert featuring classical soloist Sung Kwon at 7 p.m. Sept. 6 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. Visit lvccld.org or call 742-3324.

For information on shows scheduled at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave., call 749-2000 or visit thesmithcenter.com.The musical "Wicked" is scheduled to run Wednesday through Oct. 7. Sept. 11-15, the Smith Center is scheduled to host a five-day Spymonkey Clown Masterclass with Aitor Basauri, creator of the original clown numbers in "Zumanity." Visit spymonkey.co.uk/workshops/vegas.htm. for details.

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.

Locals can use the code 241LOCAL to get two-for-one tickets to "Mythbusters Behind the Myths Tour" scheduled Friday through Sept. 2 at the Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Tickets start at $66. Visit palazzo.com or call 414-9000.

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South, plans to host a free public viewing party for Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" at 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Boulevard Pool. The Cosmopolitan is the host hotel for the television show. Call 698-7000 or visit cosmopolitanlas
vegas.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 Saturday. 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. Saturday on the Third Street Stage.Call 678-5777 or visit vegasexperience.com.

Rich Little's one-man show "Jimmy Stewart & Friends" is scheduled to continue through Oct. 3 at the Shimmer Cabaret in the Las Vegas Hotel, 3000 Paradise Road. A two-for-one ticket offer is available for a limited time. Tickets start at $53.90. Visit thelvh.com or call 732-5755.

The intimate Crazy Horse Paris show at MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South, is scheduled to close after its final performance Oct. 1. Until then, locals can get two-for-one tickets. Tickets start at $50.50. Guests must be 18 or older. Visit mgmgrand.com or call 891-7777.

Ongoing exhibits/EVENTS

An exhibition featuring work by members of the Moapa Valley Art Guild is scheduled to run Thursday through Nov. 4 at the Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave. Visit lvccld.org or call 507-3760.

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. The exhibit features photographs and interactive elements depicting refugee families from Columbia, Afghanistan, Republic of Congo and more. 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. 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 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 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.

"Leader of the Pack" is scheduled to run the last show of the Super Summer Theatre season at 7 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays Sept. 6-22 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.

Warren Light's "Sideman," directed by Rob Kastil, is set to run at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays Sept. 14-30 on the Mainstage at the Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive. The play follows the upheaval in a family when a jazz trumpeter father chooses music over responsibility. Tickets are $24 for adults and $21 for seniors and students. Visit lvlt.org.

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.

Cocktails & Canvas, a live collaborative art event, is planned at 5:45 p.m. Sept. 29 at Loftworks, 6405 S. Tenaya Way. All proceeds are to benefit the charity New Vista. Sixteen artists are set to collaborate on 13 original works on everything from canvas to a hybrid sports car donated by Gaudin FISKER of Las Vegas. Guests will also enjoy menu samplings from Garfield's, The Melting Pot and others. Tickets start at $75. Visit newvistanv.org.