Community leaders announce Las Vegas shooting anniversary events
Resort marquees along the Strip will go dark Oct. 1 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting in Las Vegas.
Community leaders announced the scheduled tribute in a calendar released Tuesday that included several other planned events, each meant to honor victims and support survivors of the Route 91 Harvest festival attack, which left 58 concertgoers dead and hundreds more injured.
The events include:
— A monthlong portrait exhibit beginning Sept. 17. Volunteer artists from around the world painted portraits of each person killed Oct. 1. The paintings will be on display within the Clark County Government Center rotunda, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, until Oct. 19.
The 58 crosses placed near the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign after the shooting also will be on display. An Oct. 4 reception at the rotunda for artists and relatives of the 58 will begin at 6 p.m.
— A volunteer opportunity on Sept. 28. Catholic Charities invites community members to volunteer and serve a meal to vulnerable men, women and children at its St. Vincent Lied dining facility, 1501 Las Vegas Blvd. North.
“Your service will help us honor the victims, thank our first responders and continue the healing of our community,” the organization said in a statement.
— An interfaith service on Sept. 30. The 5 p.m. service is titled, “Dear Love: A Ceremony of Help, Healing and Transformation.” It will take place at the Guardian Angel Cathedral, 302 Cathedral Way, just east of the Strip.
— A sunrise remembrance ceremony on Oct. 1. Start the anniversary with Metropolitan Police Department officers, Clark County firefighters and officials from the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center, who are hosting the 6:30 a.m. ceremony at the Clark County Government Center amphitheater, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway.
The event will include 58 seconds of silence, a series of speakers and a multi-jurisdictional honor guard. The Las Vegas Academy student “Academy Singers” are expected to perform.
— A dedication ceremony at the Las Vegas Healing Garden on Oct. 1. The new remembrance wall dedication begins at 6:30 p.m. The garden is located at 1015 S. Casino Center Blvd.
— The Strip marquee tribute on Oct. 1. It begins at 10:01 p.m. and will include properties throughout the Las Vegas Valley, county officials said. The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign also will go dark at that time.
— A reading of the 58 names ceremony on Oct. 1. The name of each victim will be read at the Las Vegas Healing Garden, 1015 S. Casino Center Blvd. The tribute begins at 10:05 p.m., the moment the 2017 attack began.
Officials with Clark County, the city of Las Vegas, Metro, Catholic Charities and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority helped plan the events.
On Wednesday, Southern Nevada Harley-Davidson Dealers also announced a “Vegas Strong” motorcycle run slated for Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. It starts at the Las Vegas Harley-Davidson on the Strip, 5191 Las Vegas Blvd. South, which served as a makeshift helipad for Metro air units on the night of the attack.
From there, police will escort registered riders down the Strip and over to Red Rock Harley-Davidson, 2260 S. Rainbow Blvd. The ride will then continue to Henderson Harley-Davidson, 1010 W. Warm Springs Road, before returning to the Harley-Davidson on the Strip for an afterparty.
Registration costs $58 and includes a “Vegas Strong” pin, bandana, T-shirt and poker chip. All proceeds benefit the Injured Police Officers Fund and the Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation. Sign up at vegasstrongride.eventbrite.com.
County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said organizations and individuals are welcome to submit other anniversary events to the community calendar at www.lasvegasnewswire.com/submit-an-event/.
The calendar can be found at www.lasvegasnewswire.com/events.
Contact Rachel Crosby at rcrosby@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3801. Follow @rachelacrosby.