Things to do in North Las Vegas

In Your Neighborhood

In honor of National Skating Month, the SoBe Ice Arena at the Fiesta Rancho, 2400 N. Rancho Drive, is encouraging guests to get on the ice with free skate rentals and group lessons for skaters of all ability levels from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday . Skaters 3 or older are encouraged to participate, and games and prizes will be awarded to participants. Reservations are not necessary. Public skate is normally $6.50, and skate rental is $3. Call 638-3785.

"Nashville Unplugged: The Story Behind the Song" has expanded to Aliante Station, 7300 Aliante Parkway, each Saturday. All performances are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., and there is a $5 cover at the door. Guests must be 21 years or older. The series teams guest songwriters in an evening of discussion and music. This week's featured songwriters are Regie Hamm and Brian White. Upcoming songwriters scheduled include Marc Beeson and Earl Bud Lee on Feb. 18, Dave Pahanish and Chas Sandford on March 17 and Greg Barnhill and Marty Dodson on April 14. Visit aliantecasinohotel.com or call 692-7484.

Left of Center Art Gallery, 2207 W. Gowan Road, plans to display the works of Calvin B. Jones through March 2. Visit leftofcenterart.org or call 647-7378.

"Bad Astronomy," a show on astronomy myths and misconceptions; "Two Small Pieces of Glass," a show on the history of the telescope; and "Molecularium," an adventure into the nanoscale universe, are scheduled to run through Feb. 25 at the College of Southern Nevada Planetarium on the Cheyenne campus, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave. Tickets are $6 or $4 for seniors 55 or older or children younger than 12. Visit csn.edu/planetarium.

Worth a Drive

Big Dog's Brewing Company's Winterfest Beer & Music Festival featuring 35 beers and live music is slated from 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Big Dog's Draft House, 4543 N. Rancho Drive. Admission is free. Drinking guests pay $5 for a glass and $1 or more for samplings of beer. Visit bigdogsbrews.com.

The Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada plan to host the 16th annual Cookie Carnival from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Freedom Park, 850 N. Mojave Road. The public is welcome to participate in entertainment and game booths. Admission is free, but there is a charge for food and booths. Visit girlscoutsnv.org or call 385-3677.

SPACE: A Journey to our Future, a touring exhibit, is set to open Sunday at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. Visit springspreserve.org or call 822-7700.

The Superchick West Coast Tour is set to present an all-ages power punk rock show at 7 p.m. Friday at the Valley Bible Fellowship, 4500 W. Sahara Ave. Tickets are $15 at the door, $20 for VIP. Visit superchickonline.com.

The Laura Taylor Band is set to perform at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush St. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Visit artslasvegas.org or call 229-6383.

Michael Plyler, director of the Zion Canyon Field Institute, is scheduled to present a slide-illustrated presentation on the highland Maya of Guatemala during a free University Forum Lecture scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the auditorium of the Marjorie Barrick Museum at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Visit go.unlv.edu/liberalarts.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas Performing Arts Center, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, plans to present Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante at 7 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $35, $50 and $75 and $13 for students an hour before the event. Call 895-2787 or visit pac.unlv.edu.

RagTag Entertainment plans to present "Stephen Sondheim's Putting it Together," a charity benefit performance, at 8 p.m. today and Jan. 31 at Ovation at Green Valley Ranch Resort, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway. Tickets are $15. Guests must be 21 or older. Visit greenvalleyranchresort.com.

The Village Lake Las Vegas, 30 Strada di Villaggio's floating ice rink is scheduled to remain open through Sunday. Admission is $15 for adults and $12 for children. Hours are 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Visit lakelasvegasevents.com/entertainment.

The Nevada Conservatory Theatre at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is slated to present "The Seagull" by Anthony Chekhov beginning Friday at the Judy Bayley Theatre, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. The story, set in Russia, showcases comedy and drama. Tickets are $20 to $30. Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Feb. 2-4, and 2 p.m. Sunday and Feb. 5. Call 895-2787 or visit pac.unlv.edu.

Plan ahead

The Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society invites singers to perform with the Musical Arts Chorus. Three concerts are planned for this spring: the Society's annual Pops Concert March 4 at the College of Southern Nevada's Nicholas Horn Theatre, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave.; Gustav Mahler's "Resurrection Symphony" with the Las Vegas Philharmonic at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave., March 24; and John Rutter's "Mass of the Children" at Ham Hall at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, May 13. The Musical Arts Singers, a semiprofessional vocal ensemble, plans to perform at UNLV's Doc Rando Recital Hall Feb. 12. Visit snmas.com or call 451-6672.

Mark your calendar for performances of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by the Utah Shakespeare Festival Touring Ensemble planned for 8 p.m. Feb. 3 and 2 p.m. Feb. 4 at Nicholas J. Horn Theatre at the College of Southern Nevada, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave. The production is to feature a 15-minute "talkback" with the actors. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors with a valid ID. Call 651-5483 or email pactickets@csn.edu.