With New Year's Eve kicking off a long-holiday weekend this year, it was announced that firework displays will return to famed Las Vegas Strip.

Las Vegas Events and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority  announced today that the New Year’s Eve celebration known as America’s Party: Las Vegas New Year 2010 will include a spectacular fireworks show fired from seven rooftop locations along the Las Vegas Strip.

The firing locations (from the south, heading north) include the following resort properties:  MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, Aria, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island (TI), Venetian and the Stratosphere. 

Fireworks by Grucci of New York will again coordinate the pyrotechnic display.   Locally, Fireworks by Grucci has produced many of Las Vegas’ largest special events and grand openings, including the official Las Vegas Centennial celebration.

 In addition to designing the pyrotechnic display, Fireworks by Grucci will work directly with the Clark County Fire Department and Building Services to ensure both fire and structural safety guidelines.

“We are moving the fireworks show back to where it should be,” said LVE President Pat Christenson.  “Fireworks by Grucci, the Clark County Fire Department and Building Services and the individual resort properties have worked tirelessly since January of this year to address the fire and structural safety issues associated with firing the show from the rooftops.  Our goal each year is to design a show that is befitting of this city and provides a great backdrop for the thousands of revelers on the Strip.”

According to the LVCVA, Las Vegas hosts several hundred thousand visitors for New Year’s Eve.  

"Las Vegas continues to be the best venue in the world to ring in the New Year," said Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the LVCVA. "The fireworks will culminate an evening of celebrity-hosted events at nightclubs, special dining experiences at restaurants, live music at the Fremont Street Experience downtown and much more.  There is no other destination that offers the excitement on New Year's Eve."

The pyrotechnic show will display the letters LV along with such effects as blue comets, a golden kamuro, silver palm trees and multicolored peacock tails.

Las Vegas Events president Pat Christenson said this year’s events will take on a theme called “Takin’ it to the Streets” with fireworks that will be fired from ground locations mainly on the Strip, rather than casino rooftops, which had been the tradition in previous years.

“It was partially to get people down to the Strip but also it was to redesign the show, do something different," Christenson said. "Also, in terms of shooting off the rooftops, it was getting more and more difficult to meet the requirements Clark County had."

Rather than having spectators strain their necks by looking up, they’ll be able to look directly out and see the firework display, Christenson said. However, the fireworks won't be visible to those at locations off the Strip.

More than 30,000 effects will be fired from eight locations during the eight-minute, 10-second program.

Downtown, the Fremont Street Experience party will feature "TributePalooza," a collection of classic rock acts playing the music of Aerosmith, Depeche Mode, Guns N' Roses, INXS, Led Zeppelin, No Doubt, U2 and Van Halen. FSE will also have a live fireworks show. The event begins at 6 p.m. and there is a $10 charge for locals. The event was free last year.

"It's a nominal fee. It won't break anybody," Goodman said. "The priority is to have a great party."

Residents will receive free admission downtown with a Nevada ID. Wristband distribution for locals will begin at 10 a.m. Dec. 31 in the storefront next to Walgreens on Fremont Street. Gates will open at 6 p.m.

About 250,000 people are expected to be on the Strip, with more than 30,000 downtown.



Our friends at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve  will have a Winter Lights Festival at display featuring a half-million eco-friendly LED lights.

Children can take a ride on a “reindeer” pony, the holiday sleigh or the kiddie train.

When: Thursday, Dec. 24, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: Springs Preserve, Las Vegas

Cost: Free - $8

Age limit: All ages



As the holiday season draws closer I am reminded that I need to thank a number of people who help make Classic Las Vegas possible and help make what I do easier and much more fun.

So, with that in mind and in no particular order (after all it is late at night):

To the Springs Preserve. Marcel Parent and the Educational Department for their continued support of "Untold Stories".  Each month (except January), I bring long-time residents out to talk not only about the history of Las Vegas but their role in that history.  Thanks to the Springs Preserve, this is the only continous educational program of its kind.  A very warm thanks to our regular class members and their friends that help make this program successful!  I hope more of you will join us in 2010,  Take advantage of the lower prices and the discount!

To Dennis McBride and the crew at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas for all their help and support throughout the year.  Dennis is like a brother to me and the crew at the State Museum is always willing to step up and help out.  Without them, there would not have been the Walter Zick event.

To Barbara Slivac who helped write the grant that made the Walter Zick event possible.  She is also a very good friend who supports the type of programming I try to do. 

To Nevada Humanties for supporting the cultural and educational programming that I do from "Untold Stories" to the Walter Zick event!

To Jack LeVine at VeryVintageVegas,  Jack and I have been friends for over two years now.  We discovered each other through our mutual blogs.  Since then we have become great comrades in arms when it comes to helping preserve not only mid-century Las Vegas but historic neighborhoods as well.

To Heidi and Scott Swank, Mary Margaret and Cary Stratton, Jenny and Zane Donaldson, Steve Evans, Bill Johnson and Mark Comstock, Pam Hartley, Susan Dean, Brian Paco Alvarez and Mary Joy Alderman who have invested in historic homes, helped restore them, appreciate their history and their place in downtown neighborhoods.

To Donna and Gail Andress and Peg Crockett for their continued support of all I do.  Donna, Gail and Peg have lived here since the 1930s and are incredibly helpful and supportive.

To the Historic Preservation Commission for their support of our Archive Project.  Thanks to a grant from them, we were able to archive 25 video oral histories on DVD with indexed transcripts.  They are available for viewing at the State Museum and Special Collections.

To the Cashman Family for their support of the Archive Project.

To the crew at Dona Maria's Restaurant Downtown for always making us feel welcome and staying open when we show up just before closing time.

To the Friends of Classic Las Vegas, from Las Vegas to Northern California to places around the United States and Europe, your continued support through yearly dues and memberships helps us to fight the good battle of preserving the history of 20th Century Las Vegas.  Without you, this would not be possible.

To all our readers who help support day in and day out this blog.  Knowing that you are out there and are reading on a daily basis helps our morale more than you can imagine.  I appreciate your support and your readership more than you know!

To all, we wish a very merry Holiday and may the New Year bring out the best in all our dreams!

Look for our New Year's Eve Firework info coming this weekend!