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Chinese New Year festivities center around Chinatown Plaza. Highlights include the traditional Chinese lion dance, firecrackers, foods, and feng shui as it pertains to the New Year.

St. Patrick’s parties are held at various restaurants and bars, with the main celebration at the Fremont Street Experience. Crowd-pleasers include the Las Vegas Highland Pipe Band, entertainment on two stages, green beer (with green food coloring), and traditional Irish dishes.

The Mexican national holiday commemorating the victory of the Mexicans over the French in 1862 is celebrated by the entire Las Vegas Hispanic community, including people from Central America and Cuba. Bands play everything from ranchero to rock. Piñatas , mariachis , carnival rides, and games, as well as food vendors selling tamales , tacos, and flan add to the festivities.

Tribal dancers in costumes decked out with beadwork, bones, shells, and bells come from across North America to perform ritual dances handed down from their ancestors. Feathered shields and foods such as Navajo tacos and fry bread are sold.

Events during this festival pertaining to all things from the Basque culture of northern Spain include a Catholic mass; feats of strength such as chopping huge logs in half and carrying heavy weights; and traditional dancing. Basque food is in abundance, and the picon punch is potent.

The many Pacific Rim peoples who live in the Las Vegas area celebrate their various heritages one day each year with continuous entertainment, cultural exhibits, and fashion boutiques. Food includes everything from kim-chee and poi to potstickers and teriyaki.

A group of professional magicians create haunted houses in parking lots, community centers, and parks. The “Texas Screamer” haunted house comes complete with mad doctor’s laboratory and a surprise visit from the Texas chainsaw lunatic.

No matter their pedigrees – or lack thereof – every dog has his day when the Strut Your Mutt competition takes place. There’s the Mutt Parade and competitions to find the best dressed dog, the one with the most spots, and the one who can do the silliest tricks.

During the National Finals Rodeo, all of Las Vegas seems to go country – wearing jeans and boots. Casinos bring in country music bands, and line-dancing is enacted. The venues change from year to year, including that of the barbecue cook-off. The free entertainment magazines are the best sources of information about what’s going on where.

Opportunity Village, an organization that helps the mentally challenged, raises funds by creating a Magical Forest with 50 decorated Christmas trees. The centerpiece is Santa’s Castle, fashioned by the toy wizards FAO Schwarz.