Things to do in Paradise/Downtown May 8-14

Vaisakhi Mela, an Indian food, entertainment and cultural festival, is scheduled from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday at the Clark County Government Center Amphitheater, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway. Admission is free. Visit vegasdesi.com or call 807-1737.

The Las Vegas Philharmonic is scheduled to conclude its season with Beethoven’s “Consecration of the House,” Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” and Respighi’s “The Pines of Rome” at 8 p.m. Saturday at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave. Doors are set to open at 6:30 p.m. A pre-concert conversation is scheduled at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $38, $53 and $78. Visit lvphil.com or call 749-2000.

LV ARTreach plans to host a community performance night at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St. Works from children 8 to 18 and their mentors are set to be on display. The event is free, and art is set to be auctioned off, with proceeds going toward LV ARTreach. Call 885-8650 or visit lvartreach.com.

The Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush St., plans to host a Mother’s Day dinner and dance at 6 p.m. Saturday, with music from the Walt Boenig Little Big Band. Tickets are $20. Call 229-6383 or visit artslasvegas.org.

The Huntridge Neighborhood Association plans to host ‘Hood Hounds of Huntridge from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Huntridge Circle Park at the intersection of North Maryland Parkway and Franklin Avenue. Attendees are invited to bring their dogs to be entered in contests for prizes, such as cutest costume, most energetic dog and more. Donations for the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will be accepted. Call 277-4566 or visit huntridgehood.blogspot.com.

A McNeil Neighborhood Dog Parade is scheduled at 5 p.m. Saturday starting at 3008 Mason Ave. Costumes for critters are encouraged. The parade is set to march from Campbell to Cahlan drives along Mason, Burton, Bryant, Colanthe and Gilmary avenues. Stops along the way will be made for canine, kid and grownup treats. Contact hacketmorgan@gmail.com, or search for the McNeil Neighborhood’s group page on Facebook.

The Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society plans to end its 49th season with a performance of John Rutter’s “Mass of the Children” at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. The Mother’s Day concert is set to feature the 60-voice musical arts chorus, a 30-piece musical arts orchestra and a 60-member Greenspun Junior High School chorus. Tickets are $18 for adults, $12 for seniors, military personnel and disabled persons and $7 for students with a valid ID. Call 895-2787 or visit pac.unlv.edu.

Table 8 Productions plans to present “Turn in Your Hymnal” from Friday through May 26 at the Box Office Theatre, 1129 S. Casino Center Blvd. The comedic play, which shows a clash of religions, is set for 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $15. Call 423-6366 or visit showtix4u.com.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas Beverage Club plans to host its Rock and Brew event from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Friday at the Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road. The event is set to feature more than 100 beers to taste, live music and food for purchase. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Call (714)-721-2670 or visit brewunlv.com.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Hope Gala … The Art of the Cure is planned for 6 p.m. Friday at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The gala is set to feature a cocktail reception, a dinner, silent and live auctions, and live entertainment featuring singer Clint Holmes. Tickets are $350. Visit jdrflv.org or call 732-4795.

A preliminary round of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest is scheduled from 8 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday on the Third Street Stage at the Fremont Street Experience. Each night’s events are set to begin with a parade of Elvi. VIP seating in front of the stage is $20. Visit vegasexperience.com or call 369-5111.

Come see the new Miss Atomic Bomb and celebrate 65 years of the Las Vegas News Bureau at a Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Business Power Luncheon scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road. Tickets are $50 for chamber members and $65 for nonmembers in advance or $70 at the door. Onsite registration is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. Visit lvchamber.com or call 641-5822.

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave., has a full slate of shows planned. Las Vegas singer Mary Wilson plans to perform “Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project” Friday and Saturday. Alan Safier plans to portray George Burns in “Say Goodnight Gracie” Friday and Saturday. Lily Tomlin is scheduled to perform Sunday. PSY by Seven Fingers is scheduled May 15-16. The Composers Showcase of Las Vegas is set for May 16. Jane Monheit is scheduled May 18-19. Buddy Guy with Quinn Sullivan is scheduled May 19. The Jewish Repertory Theatre is set to present “The Diary of Anne Frank” May 20. The musical “Mary Poppins” is scheduled May 22-27. Barbara Cook is set to sing May 24-27. The Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater plans a five-year anniversary concert May 29. “Desperate Housewives” actress Emily Bergl plans to perform her cabaret show “Kidding on the Square” June 8-9. Call 982-7805 or visit thesmithcenter.com.

Idina Menzel is scheduled to perform June 10.

RagTag Entertainment plans to sponsor a fundraiser for The Monkey Gym at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Knudsen Middle School, 2400 Atlantic St. The evening features performances and a silent auction. Tickets are $8. Call the Monkey Gym at 285-1120.

The Knights of Columbus plan an all-ages Saturday Night Stomp swing dance party the second Saturday of most months at 911 E. Ogden Ave. Lessons are scheduled at 7 p.m. and social dancing is set to run from 8 p.m. to midnight. The dress code prohibits jeans. Upcoming themes include: Prom, Saturday; Superhero, June 9; Seven Seas, July 14; 1920s, Aug. 18; 1950s, Sept. 8; Masquarade, Oct. 13; USO, Nov. 10; Holiday, Dec. 8. Admission is $5, cash only. Visit saturdaynightstomp.com.

The Insurgo Theater and Chaos Theatre Company plan to present “Reefer Madness: The Musical” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Plaza, 1 S. Main St. Tickets are $29.99 for general admission and $19.99 for locals. Call 772-3897 or visit insurgotheater.org.

Insurgo Theater Movement is set to present “Cannibal The Musical” at 10 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays at the Plaza, 1 S. Main St. Tickets are $29.99 or $19.99 for adults. Splash zone seating is available for an additional $5. Visit insurgotheater.org or call 772-3897.

Worth a Drive

The sixth Country in the Park outdoor concert and festival is scheduled from 2 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Exploration Peak Park, 9700 S. Buffalo Drive. Presented by the Mountain’s Edge master-planned community and Vegas Country 95.5 KWNR, the free event is set to feature singer/songwriter Phil Vassar, Jana Kramer and the Tony Marques Band. Visit mountainsedge.com or kwnr.com.

Moms Rock, the ninth annual Mother’s Day Tea and Brunch benefiting Child Focus at St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, is planned from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Southern Highlands Spa Clubhouse, 1 Robert Trent Jones Lane. The event is set to feature entertainment, a hat parade, activities for young princesses and pirates, a silent auction and raffle and a drawing for a mother/daughter diamond pendant designed by MJ Christensen Jewelers. Tickets are $80 for adults and $40 for children younger than 12. Visit childfocusnv.org or follow @momsrock2012 on Twitter.

The 33rd annual San Gennaro Feast, an Italian-American food and entertainment festival and carnival, is planned from 4 to 11 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday at the Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Road. General admission is $8. Visit sangennarofeast.com.

“The 39 Steps,” a play adapted by Patrick Barlow from the film by Alfred Hitchcock and the novel by John Buchman, is scheduled to run through May 20 on the main stage at the Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive. Tickets are $24 for adults and $21 for seniors and students. Visit lvlt.org or call 362-7996. “Spearminted,” by local playwright Erica Griffin, is set to run through May 15 in the Fischer Black Box in the Las Vegas Little Theatre. Tickets are $15 for adults and $14 for seniors and students. Visit lvlt.org.