Things to do in Downtown/Paradise

In Your Neighborhood

n Local green thumbs will have their choice of more than 5,000 native and water-efficient plant varieties at a plant sale scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. Springs Preserve garden staff experts will be on hand to answer questions. Springs Preserve members can take advantage of a preview sale from 7 to 8 a.m. Admission to the sale in the Gardens Amphitheater is free. Regular admission prices will apply for access to museums. Guests are encouraged to bring wagons to transport purchases. Visit springspreserve.org or call 258-2462.

n The University of Nevada, Las Vegas' department of jazz studies is slated to perform a concert at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. Call 507-3400 or visit lvccld.org.

n Huntridge-area residents are planning to dress up and pack a picnic for Gatsby Day in the Park scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday in Huntridge Circle Park, in the middle of Maryland Parkway south of Charleston Avenue. Inspired by New York's Jazz Age Lawn Party, the free gathering is set to include an informal jam session and lawn games. Leave glass containers home. Parking is limited. Visit tinyurl.com/gatpicnic.

n As part of the Academy of Country Music Awards weekend, the Fremont Street Experience plans to host free concerts Saturday and Sunday at 425 Fremont St. Concerts are set to take place at First and Third streets beginning at 7 p.m. Artists are to include Scotty McCreery, Luke Bryan, Laura Bell Bundy, Eric Church and more. Call 678-5600 or visit vegasexperience.com.

n Flightlinez at the Fremont Street Experience, 425 Fremont St., plans to host a fundraiser for The Animal Foundation from noon to midnight Wednesday, with proceeds from zipline rides benefiting the organization. Rides are $15 from noon to 6 p.m. and $20 until midnight. All-day passes are $50 and include one free ticket to Nathan Burton's show at the Flamingo. Call 410-7999 or visit flightlinezfremont.com.

n Upcoming shows scheduled at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave., include Savion Glover's Bare Soundz today, The Pink Floyd Experience on Friday, Branford Marsalis on Saturday, the one-woman show Golda's Balcony starring Tony Award nominee Tovah Feldshuh on Sunday and the musical "The Color Purple" April 3-8. Ticket prices vary by performance and start at $26. The center is set to host the Composers Showcase of Las Vegas, a forum hosted by Keith Thompson and Michael Brennan, at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $20. Clint Holmes is set to open his residency at the center April 6 with plans to perform the first weekend of each month.

The center is also set to host "Sousa in the 21st Century," a tribute to John Philip Sousa featuring performances by musicians, visual artists, dancers and thespians from across Southern Nevada, at 6:30 p.m. April 11. Call 982-7805 or visit thesmithcenter.com.

n The West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., plans a Women's Day Celebration from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free, but registration is required. Call 229-4800 to register.

n The Insurgo Theater Movement's adaptation of Christopher Marlowe's "Faustus" is set to run at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at the Plaza, 1 S. Main St. Tickets are $20. Call 772-3897 or visit insurgotheater.org.

n The Nevada Ballet Theatre plans to present "Words on Dance: Cynthia Gregory in Conversation with Donald Williams" at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Troesh Studio Theater at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave. Tickets are $25 or $75 with a reception with Gregory. For more information, visit nevadaballet.com or call 982-7805.

n A benefit production of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" is scheduled at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Tickets are $10. Visit pac.unlv.edu.

Worth a Drive

n The High Cs -- featuring tenors Mark Thomsen, Antonio Esclapes and Marco Varela -- are scheduled to perform at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday at the Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive. The concert is set to mix arias with Latin music, pop and Broadway songs. Visit clarkcountynv.gov or call 455-7340.

n The Extreme Thing Sports and Music Festival is planned from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at Desert Breeze Park, 8275 Spring Mountain Road near Durango Drive. Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 the day of the show. A VIP Package is $30 and includes a T-shirt and poster. Visit extremething.com.

n Signature Productions plans to present "Hairspray" through April 28 at the Summerlin Library and Performing Arts Center, 1771 Inner Circle Drive. Visit signatureproductions.net.

n Rag Tag Entertainment plans to present "Opera Risque" at 8 p.m. today at Ovation at Green Valley Ranch Resort, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway. Tickets are $15. Visit greenvalleyranchresort.com.

n The Glass Craft & Bead Expo is scheduled at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday in the Events Center at the South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Tickets are $15 and valid for all three days. Visit southpointcasino.com.

n "Tuesdays with Morrie" is set to run at 2 p.m. Sunday and 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday in the Las Vegas Little Theatre's Studio Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive. Tickets start at $11. Visit lvlt.org.

Ongoing Events

n The Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., plans to showcase "Trash to Treasure: The Sculptures of Dave Thompson" through May 20. Thompson's work features metal and discarded items turned into sculptures. Call 822-7700 or visit springspreserve.org.

n "Curious George: Let's Get Curious!," a touring exhibit featuring the monkey made famous in film, television and books, is scheduled to visit the Lied Discovery Children's Museum, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. North, through May 13. Visit ldcm.org.

n SPACE: A Journey to our Future" is scheduled to be on display through May 13 at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. The touring exhibit features lunar samples, a moon scale and various interactive, educational features on the universe. Visit springspreserve.org or call 822-7700.

n The Bet on the Farm! Farmers Market is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 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.

n 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.

n "Mama's Fabric," an exhibit by John Broussard, is set to be on display through May 5 at the West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd. The exhibit is focused on community organizer Beatrice Dixon, Broussard's mother, who had a passion for sewing fabrics given to her as gifts. The exhibit includes Broussard's photographs of diverse Americans and Dixon's fabrics to tell her story. Visit lasvegasnevada.gov or call 229-4800.

n Jest Serendipity Improv is set to perform at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at the Alexis Park Resort, 375 E. Harmon Ave. The show is limited to adults 21 or older, and tickets are $29.95. Visit jestserendipity.com.

Plan ahead

n The Knights of Columbus plan an all-ages Saturday Night Stomp swing dance party April 14 at 911 E. Ogden Ave. Lessons begin at 7 p.m. Social dancing is set to run from 8 p.m. to midnight. The dress code prohibits jeans. Admission is $5, cash only. Visit saturdaynightstomp.com.

n The Rainbow Company plans to present "Sleeping Beauty" April 28-May 6 at the Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush St. The show will be a gleeful version of the classic story, featuring a weapon-wise, no-nonsense heroine who combats a malevolent wizard and his bumbling sidekick. Call 229-6553 or 229-6383, or visit artslasvegas.org.