Fun Things to Do in Las Vegas This Weekend

The weekend of September 11 to 13 is one of those stretches where the whole valley seems to have something going on. A free craft fair fills a downtown expo hall, a Sunday tasting turns a Red Rock golf course into a party with a view, and the resort theaters are stacked with live music and comedy. Whatever your pace, there is a version of this weekend that fits it.

One note first: this is also the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, and Las Vegas marks the day with observances at fire stations and government buildings before the festivities begin. I wrote about how the valley remembers, and it is linked below if you want the full picture.

The Fall Craft Spectacular and Home Improvement & Backyard Expo runs Friday through Sunday at The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas on Grand Central Parkway, presented by LV Craft Shows. Admission is free with a ticket from Eventbrite and parking is free, which makes it an easy Saturday morning.

Expect handmade crafts, cottage foods, free make-and-takes, and face painting. It is family-friendly, indoors, and a reliable way to spend a few unhurried hours without spending much.

Fairway to Heaven takes over the 18th hole at Red Rock Country Club on Sunday, September 13, from noon to 6 p.m., presented by the club and its homeowners association and benefiting New Vista. The lineup: wine and craft beer tastings, a whiskey and cigar lounge, gourmet food trucks, an artisan farmers market, and live music from the Wedge Brothers and Stevie & The HeartRockers, with NFL Sunday playing on an outdoor screen.

Tickets are by advance purchase and the proceeds go to a good cause. It is the rare kind of afternoon that works for a date, a group of friends, or a low-key family outing.

The resort theaters earn their keep this weekend. Marc Anthony's Vegas residency at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau runs Friday through Sunday. Cristian Castro brings his hits tour to Resorts World Theatre Friday and Saturday. Godsmack rocks PH Live at Planet Hollywood Friday night, Banda MS takes the MGM Grand stage the same night, Los Ángeles Azules follow at PH Live on Saturday, and Los Tucanes de Tijuana close the weekend there on Sunday.

For comedy, Felipe Esparza is at MGM Grand Friday and Saturday, and Cristina Mariani plays Wiseguys Comedy Club at Town Square both nights. Tickets for the big rooms are worth booking early; the smaller clubs usually have more breathing room at the door.

Not every weekend needs a schedule. On the days you want something dependable, the valley's steady favorites come through: the 13-mile scenic drive and trailheads at Red Rock Canyon; the gardens, desert trails, and air-conditioned exhibits at Springs Preserve; and a wander through Downtown Container Park, which is free to enter and often has live music in the evenings.

The Neon Museum is a different kind of classic: the outdoor boneyard of retired signs tells the town's story beautifully, entry is by timed ticket, and the evening tours light it up. Book ahead.

Confirm times, tickets, and availability before you go. Event details change: shows add and drop dates, markets adjust their hours, and no guide can outrun a last-minute schedule shift. It takes ninety seconds to check a website before you drive across the valley.

And it is still September in the desert. Start early, carry water, wear sun protection, and give yourself more time than the navigation app thinks you need. That is the whole secret to a good Las Vegas weekend.