Expect parking crunch downtown

Here's a scenario: You and 40,000 of your drag-queen-loving, artistic, craft-fair-going friends are heading to downtown Las Vegas this Friday.

Where do you park?

"There are going to be large crowds everywhere downtown," said Las Vegas police Lt. Jason Letkiewicz, who is with the department's special events unit.

First Friday events will be happening, as they do every month. Several streets north of Charleston Boulevard will be shut down.

But this Friday will also have:

■ A Drag Queen Showcase at Drink and Drag at Neonopolis.

■ The Pride Parade on Fourth Street.

■ "Wicked" continues its run at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

■ The Harvest Festival Craft Show at Cashman Center.

But have no fear, city officials said Tuesday. They've got it all worked out.

"It's party time," Mayor Carolyn Goodman said.

Traffic was a major concern with events drawing this many people, numbers eclipsed by only one or two other events, most notably New Year's Eve, she said.

"We're hopeful we'll be able to keep the traffic moving," she said.

Brandy Stanley, the city's parking services manager, said there are about 50,000 parking spots downtown. The city has been able to line up about 20,000 for Friday, which should be plenty for the expected crowd of 40,000, she said. Not every single person drives his or her own car.

"The real issue is getting people there," she said.

City officials have printed several dozen signs that will direct drivers to parking lots, both free and paid, she said. The paid lots tend to be closer to the action.

There will be free parking at several lots north of Charleston downtown and at the Clark County building on Grand Central Parkway. The paid lots will be concentrated south of Charleston, near the First Friday events.

There will also be several shuttle bus pickups for attendees of First Friday events.

The parade, which celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride, is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. along Fourth Street, from just north of Charleston to just south of U.S. Highway 95.

Officials will start closing the road several hours earlier, though.

Officials advised people attending other events downtown - "Wicked," for example - to arrive early.

With the parade, Drink and Drag at Neonopolis is holding an event that includes a drag queen showcase and entertainment by some top drag performers.

Parking at the harvest festival and craft fair at Cashman Center should not be a problem, officials said. That event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Contact reporter Richard Lake at rlake@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0307.