Las Vegas may slow down during the holidays, but it never stops.
Off The Strip is celebrating the holiday season with a 30-days of stories counting down to the big day Dec. 25! Our #WYD Holiday Guide features all the best places to go, experiences to have, festive displays, party destinations, holiday cocktails and dinners—plus where to shop local and cool ways to give back! Check out the features »
Think of the coming nights as a warmup, a slow build toward what’s likely to be – despite the pandemic – another insane New Year’s Eve weekend. Some clubs are closed, some are open. Some headliners have the holiday off, some are squeezing in their final performances of the season right before Christmas.
If you’ve finished your shopping and watched all of the Hallmark holiday movies you can handle, here are 16 things to do starting Thursday, After Dark.
Thursday, December 23
DRINK: The penultimate edition of “Holiday Hop” Happy Hour is going down at Henderson’s Winterfest. Drink your way up and down Water Street, and then call a rideshare. 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., cityofhenderson.com
HEAR: Usher is back, and just in time to save the holidays. The superstar resumes his residency tonight at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, with another show Friday and three shows next week, including New Year’s Eve. 9 p.m., caesars.com
DANCE: If you’re going to take it easy this weekend, you can get all of your energy out tonight when Wellman arrives at The Venetian’s TAO Nightclub. 10:30 p.m., $20-$30, taolvnc.taogroup.com
Friday, december 24
HEAR: Twas the night before the Christmas and while few places are stirring, Sand Dollar Lounge and its Miracle on Spring Mountain pop-up are welcoming jam band Thee Mess Arounds to entertain the holiday crowds after dark. thesanddollarlv.com/lounge/
EXPERIENCE: We’re into the final days for Excalibur’s Tournament of Kings: ‘Twas the Knight’ show, the long-running medieval production’s holiday-themed spectacle. There will be two performances tonight, and ‘Twas the Knight’ wraps on December 27. 5:30 p.m. & 8 p.m., $51.86+, excalibur.com
This weekend also marks the final Nevada Ballet Theatre performances of The Nutcracker at The Smith Center of the Performing Arts. If you don’t make it on Christmas Eve you can catch the final show on Sunday. 2 p.m., $30.95+, thesmithcenter.com
DANCE: Tonight, Hakkasan Nightclub taps the legend, Laidback Luke, to spin you into Christmas. 10 p.m., $80-$160, hakkasangroup.com
Saturday, December 25
EXPERIENCE: There’s still to catch The Venetian’s star-studded holiday show, This Is Christmas, which holds its final two performances on December 25 and 26. In her review, Off the Strip’s Toni Gonzales called it “the family-friendly show Vegas needs.” Preview
Now that you’ve unwrapped all the gifts, treat yourself and your besties to a night of skating at The Cosmopolitan’s Ice Rink. Tonight’s “Date Skate” movies is the classic Air Bud spinoff Santa Buddies, not to be confused with Snow Buddies, Space Buddies, or Spooky Buddies. They’ve milked that Air Bud for more than one dozen movies now, good for them. 7 p.m., cosmopolitanlasvegas.com
HEAR: Iranian singer/actress Googoosh arrives in Vegas for a Christmas night performance at The Cosmopolitan’s Chelsea theater. 7 p.m., $79.50, cosmopolitanlasvegas.com
DANCE: Lest you think there’s nothing to do on the Strip, “Cheshat” artist Sami Beigi is taking over the DJ booth at OMNIA nightclub. 10 p.m., $120-$160, hakkasangroup.com
Sunday, december 26
CHEER: The Las Vegas Raiders welcome the Denver Broncos for another beating of the week at Allegiant Stadium. Who’s taking the beating? It could go either way, but, come on, these are the Raiders. Fortunately, Las Vegas makes everything bigger than the game, so take some of that cash your grandparents gave you and grab a VIP seat at Wynn Field Club. 1:25 p.m., wynnsocial.com
DANCE: “The Gentleman” himself, Sasy, will take over Drai’s Nightclub on the rooftop of The Cromwell. It’s like a late Christmas present! 10:30 p.m., $100, draisgroup.com
If you’re in downtown’s Fremont East district, you may hear the sounds of REDTAPE coming from Commonwealth after dark. 10 p.m., $5, holyhouseevents.com
And DJ Five gets the post-presents call at The Cosmopolitan’s Marquee Nightclub. 10:30 p.m, $20-$30, marqueelvnc.taogroup.com
