Undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz pose during a news conference at MGM Grand on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011. Mayweather will challenge Ortiz for the title at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday.
Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011 | 4:50 p.m.
When it comes to entertainment options this weekend, Las Vegas is packing a punch — literally and figuratively. Fists will fly as Floyd Mayweather Jr. takes on Victor Ortiz at MGM Grand. Fireworks will fill the air as Lake Las Vegas hosts a belated Fourth of July event. Meanwhile, the Strip’s newest hotel celebrates a different Independence Day.
Confused? Don’t be. Here’s a breakdown of some notable events happening this weekend:
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Photo by Chris Pizzello | APMexican Independence Day
Sept. 16 is Mexican Independence Day, and groups across the valley will celebrate accordingly. The Cosmopolitan is getting in the spirit with live performances and specials on Mexican food and drinks.
Mariachis will perform throughout the resort over the weekend. Pedro Fernandez performs Friday at Boulevard Pool. A “street fair” with folkloric dances, face painting and a special menu from Holstein’s will be held on P2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. “Mexican Made Easy” author and Food Network star Marcela Valladolid will hold a book signing at EatDrink from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, with an Ambhar tequila tasting held in conjunction with the signing.
For more information, click here.
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Photo by Sean AmmermanOlympia Weekend
Get ready to feel puny. Male and female bodybuilders are headed en masse to the Orleans Arena for Olympia Weekend, where they will flex and pose their beefy bods for the chance to be crowned Mr. or Mrs. Olympia, respectively. Current champ and Las Vegas local Jay Cutler will be defending his title for the fourth year.
Olympia Weekend runs Friday and Saturday night beginning at 6 p.m. Reserved seating prices range from $64.86 to $263.90 for one night. For more information, click here.
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Photo by Leila NavidiFresh 52
Las Vegas may be located in a desert, but amateur and professional chefs alike can still find a healthy picking of fresh produce. Last week, Fresh 52 launched the Walkin, a weekly indoor farmers market where Las Vegans can find everything from apples and tomatoes to starship squash, orange raspberries and peewee heirloom potatoes.
Come rain or shine, the Walkin runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday at Tivoli Village. For more information, click here.
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Fireworks!
Rain squashed Lake Las Vegas’ scheduled Fourth of July fireworks this summer, and now families are invited to make peace with Mother Nature with a lakeside celebration Saturday. The free, all-ages event will include an exhibition by “extreme artist” Jean Francois, performances by the Walt Blanton Quintet and all the fireworks meant for America’s birthday.
Festivities begin at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Village Lake Las Vegas. Fireworks begin at 8:30 p.m. For more information, click here.
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Photo by Steve MarcusMayweather vs. Ortiz
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Victor Ortiz enter the ring Saturday for a welterweight title match. The former is an undefeated, six-time world champion in five weight divisions, while the latter is a 24-year-old relative newcomer who should offer an entertaining challenge. The battle begins at 5 p.m. at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and will air on HBO. For more information, click here.
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Photo by Andy Manis/APUNLV vs Hawaii (and an eating contest)
For their first home game of the season, the Rebels take on Hawaii this Saturday. The game begins at 7 p.m., with tailgating beginning hours earlier. This season, Capriotti’s will host a “Bobbie Bowl” during every home game halftime. Five pre-registered contestants will compete to see who can scarf down the hometown sandwich shop’s signature sub the quickest. The winner scores a lunch with head coach Bobby Hauck.
For more information, click here.
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Wine Amplified Festival
Rock-n-Roll wine hosts its sixth annual Wine Amplified Festival on Saturday at Mandalay Bay Beach. The tasting event will feature 150 wines from 50 wineries, as well as a performance by the Grammy award-winning trio Train. The band recently released its own wine, appropriately called “Drops of Jupiter” after their first hit single. Jared Lee and Gustavo Galindo are also scheduled to perform.
The cost of admission is $65 and includes wine. The event runs from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., with wine tasting running from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, click here.
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Photo by Leila NavidiDavid de Alba
Men who dress up as women and perform are typically called drag queens, but don’t call David de Alba one. This longtime performer comes from a different frame of mind. He calls his performances “female impersonating” because it’s less about being campy or performing as contemporary pop stars, and more about sounding and feeling like an authentic female. For years, he was the lead at Finnochio’s, a popular historic nightclub and entertainment venue in San Francisco. Now, he brings his performance and memories to Onyx Theatre for a one-night performance.
De Alba’s Backstage Memoirs begins at 5 p.m. Sunday at Onyx Theatre. For more information, click here.
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