Activities for the Youth to be held at 2022 Las Vegas Book Festival

Youth can enjoy readings, illustration demonstrations and musical performances during the 2022 Las Vegas Book Festival Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The free festival is held downtown at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St., and is open to all ages.

EMMY and Latin Grammy-Award winner Lucky Diaz will read from his book “Paletero Man,” perform with the The Lucky Band and host an interactive workshop that will guide children through the entire process of writing a song.

Additional youth activities include:

• Pictionary with illustrators Troy Cummings, Heather Fox, Cyndi Marko and Mika Song

• Readings with authors Julie Berry and J. L. Esplin

• An introductory workshop to zines for those ages 6-15 with Co-Zi LV.

The city of Las Vegas will host a Children’s Rainbow Wonderland with pop-up mobile recreation activities, arts and crafts, and more from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This year’s festival headliners includes Washington Post investigative journalist Carl Bernstein, celebrity chef and author Hubert Keller, “Such A Fun Age” author Kiley Reid and New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand.

A full schedule of festival activities that includes panel discussions, book signings, arts and crafts for children and musical performances can be found here. For updates and more information on the book festival, visit www.lasvegasbookfestival.com. Keep up with festival news on Facebook and Twitter (#VegasBookFest).

Produced by the city of Las Vegas, Nevada Humanities and NV Energy, the Las Vegas Book Festival also is supported with funding from donors via The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE. Additional sponsors include the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Audacy Radio and The CW. Gold/silver/bronze sponsors include Arts Midwest, Healthplan of Nevada, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, the Las Vegas Rotary and the UFC. Additional event sponsors include the National Endowment for the Humanities, Nevada Center for the Book and Spread the Word Nevada.

The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE was established in 2018 as a vehicle for corporate and philanthropic partners to support innovative programs that improve quality of life for all Las Vegas residents with a special focus on vulnerable populations. The Fund creates opportunities for public-private partnerships as well as donations of cash, time and in-kind goods and services. Guided by a diverse group of community leaders who serve as members of the fund’s Advisory Committee, the fund targets specific community needs with a goal of making Las Vegas a national leader in four areas: Livability, Innovation, Future and Education. The Nevada Community Foundation, a public charity under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, serves as The Mayor’s Fund fiscal agent, receiving all private donations. Donations to the Nevada Community Foundation for The Mayor’s Fund are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. For information, visit MayorsFundLV.org.

The Las Vegas Book Festival is the largest literary event in Nevada, presented by the city of Las Vegas, The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE, NV Energy and Nevada Humanities, along with many sponsors and supporters, including the National Endowment for the Humanities. The 21st annual celebration of the written, spoken and illustrated word is free and open to all ages. Through the years, the festival has presented countless well-known authors, panel discussions, readings, workshops and book signings. Topics of interest include politics, social issues, history, popular fiction, cooking and science fiction. There’s something for everyone. For information, please visit lasvegasbookfestival.com. Keep up with festival news on Facebook and Twitter (#VegasBookFest).

City of Las Vegas to Dedicate Mural At East Las Vegas Community Center

Mural Located On The North Side Of The Center At 250 N. Eastern Ave.

Ward 3 Councilwoman Olivia Diaz and Consul of Mexico Julian Escutia Rodriquez will dedicate a new mural that was painted as part of Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 10 a.m. The 90-foot-long and the 22-foot-tall mural is painted on the exterior of the East Las Vegas Community Center, located at 250 N. Eastern Ave.

The mural was created by Adry del Rocio and is called “Our Collective Strength Has No Boundaries” (“Nuestra Fuerza Colectiva No Tiene Fronteras”).

Adry del Rocio was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, in 1984 and has had 53 solo and 90 collective art show exhibitions. She has exhibited her work in 20 different countries. The new mural depicts symbols of unity, strength, and courage, resulting from a partnership between the city of Las Vegas and the Consulate of Mexico.

Downtown Vegas Alliance, city Of Las Vegas to celebrate murals March 22

How a pandemic shut down spurred a downtown Las Vegas mural art explosion that helped heal a community

In partnership with the city of Las Vegas, the Downtown Vegas Alliance (DVA), a nonprofit organization that connects its members and downtown stakeholders to influence growth in the heart of Las Vegas, has announced a free community event. Meet the entrepreneurs, artists, and city government leaders who came together during Phase I of the pandemic to create inspirational, provocative, and beautiful works of art. The March 22 “Successes and Insights” event is free and open to the public by RSVPing to https://bit.ly/DVAcovidmurals.

In mid-March of 2020, the State of Nevada mandated all non-essential businesses must close. As a result, many downtown Las Vegas businesses took advantage of a city of Las Vegas program that provided funding for artists to create murals on the plywood boards covering their storefronts. Once erected, these “COVID Murals” became an instant drive-through gallery that helped inspire and heal the Las Vegas community and spurred an art explosion throughout the entire downtown area that continues today.

When restrictions were lifted and shops began to reopen, The COVID Murals were collected and preserved through a collaborative effort between the 18b Las Vegas Arts District, DVA, First Friday Foundation, city of Las Vegas, Mojave Events, and local business owners. Several of the collected murals will be on display at the March 22 event that includes a series of conversations/stories from local leaders, entrepreneurs, and artists who were instrumental in creating, executing, and collecting the murals.

Featured storytellers include:

• Ryan Smith, director of economic and urban development, city of Las Vegas.

• Ally Haynes-Hamblen, director, office of cultural affairs, city of Las Vegas.

• Derek Stonebarger, owner of ReBar and Davy’s on Main Street in downtown Las Vegas.

• Abby Stroot, president of the 18b Las Vegas Arts District Association and owner of Pincushion.

• Izaac Zevalking (Recycled Propaganda), a socio-political artist acclaimed for his graphic exploration of a broad variety of contemporary issues who created several COVID murals.

Carolyn Wheeler, executive director of the Downtown Vegas Alliance, will serve as emcee and storyteller.

The Downtown Vegas Alliance (DVA) is a member-driven 501(c)6 nonprofit organization that connects its members and downtown stakeholders to influence growth in the heart of Las Vegas through thought leadership and collaboration. Founded in 2008 by a group of leading business and property owners and the city of Las Vegas, the DVA continues to evolve and advocate for the downtown community. The organization serves as the leading voice of downtown Las Vegas and an indispensable partner for its business community. Visit downtown.vegas for more information.

NV Energy is the sponsor of the March 22 event, which also serves as a preview for a larger, ticketed first-of-its-kind exhibit scheduled for May 12-22 that will include dozens of The COVID Murals along with the stories of the artists who created them and the businesses they covered. This Successes & Insights forum, located at 902 S. Commerce Street, will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on March 22. The event is free and open to the public, and registration at https://bit.ly/DVAcovidmurals is required since space is limited. Follow Downtown Vegas Alliance: Facebook, Twitter @DTLVAlliance, Instagram, and LinkedIn.