Downtown Las Vegas adds more to calendar with music festival during F1
Downtown resort-casinos and partnering businesses are pushing a free festival for all ages during Las Vegas’ second Formula One Grand Prix race as a way to divert some of the week’s tourists to other parts of the destination.
Derek Stevens, owner of The D, Golden Gate and Circa casinos, said the festival came together as a solution to the question of how to attract visitors downtown during the Formula One event week. Hundreds of vendor inquiries for the festival have come in since the website’s launch last week, he said in a Monday interview.
“That’s pretty important because this festival is coming together pretty quickly,” Stevens said. “There’s a lot of work to do in a short time period.”
Still to be announced includes the entertainment lineup and culinary plans, but initial details are expected this month. Festival planners promise performances at the three stages on the Fremont Street Experience pedestrian mall and at Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, the Stevens-owned live venue on Third Street and Carson Avenue. They also highlight block parties, street festivals and food and drink specials.
The festival’s footprint hasn’t been established yet, but organizers are soliciting feedback and involvement interest in other downtown neighborhoods: Fremont East and the Arts District. The Strat — located at the city’s border with the county-governed Strip — is among the founding partners.
The festival will be held during Las Vegas’ second time hosting the Grand Prix, a three-day Formula One racing event. Last year’s event brought international attention and high rollers to the luxury-coded event, but left many off-Strip and downtown businesses emptier than expected.
Downtown operators want the newly stacked event calendar to combat that. Race events will start on the Strip on Thursday, Nov. 21, and end Saturday, Nov. 23. In downtown, the Neon City Festival will take place Friday through Sunday. And at Allegiant Stadium, the Raiders will play a home game against the Denver Broncos on Nov. 24.
“This particular weekend in Las Vegas is set to be exceptionally busy, so we wanted to create a major event that appeals to a variety of ages and demographics,” Jeff Victor, the festival’s CEO and a former president of the Fremont Street Experience, said in a Tuesday news release. “During Neon City Festival, no matter where you are, your senses will be on overdrive.”
Stevens said the key to this event’s success is its collaborations. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority approved a $1 million sponsorship in July. Fremont Street casino owners contributed $500,000 each, and downtown casinos not on the pedestrian mall are committing to $100,000 in in-kind contributions. The Plaza will be responsible for nightly fireworks. Stevens said Circa plans to fly out 400 Circa sportsbook customers from its other markets for the festival.
“We think that last year there were a lot of underutilized assets, underutilized hotel rooms that didn’t get sold and therefore a lot of bartenders that didn’t get tipped or blackjack dealers at an empty table,” Stevens said. “We think this is something that’s going to bring a lot of new people to Vegas.”
Contact McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on X.