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The Las Vegas Centennial: 100 Years of Fantasies Fulfilled


Well, stick a candle in us and light us up, we're 100 years old! The most exciting city on Earth is having a year-long birthday party, and you're invited. And believe it when we say we know a little something about how to throw a party.

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For Sin City, it's been 100 years of pushing the limits, turning heads, and making headlines. Las Vegas has gone from desert mirage to a dream come true, it's gone from hot to hotter, and the momentum continues to grow.

The party officially started on New Year's Eve, when Las Vegas welcomed in 2005 with a party that's sure to become the stuff of legend. After all, it was 100 years in the making.

About the Centennial

Officially established by a railroad town-site auction in 1905, Las Vegas will enter the century club when the city celebrates its 100th birthday on May 15, 2005. Over its 10 decades of existence, Las Vegas has established a legacy of growth, reinvention, and a thriving creative culture that have made it the first city of the 21st century.

Throughout 2005, the city will roll out a red carpet (sequin-studded, of course) to invite visitors and residents alike to experience and explore all the elements that make Las Vegas unique, reflecting both the city's birth, historic growth, and reputation as being a world-renowned playground for kids of all ages.

A Glimpse at History

The Centennial event calendar is filled with lots of commemorative events that will shine the spotlight on the historic side of Las Vegas, including a time capsule, a Centennial quilt, public art projects, original theatrical productions, restoration and rededication of historic places, markers placed at locations of famous community-shaping moments, and much more.

A Yearlong Celebration for the Ages

With all that history to recognize, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate, and plenty of opportunities for revelry. Entertainment events planned for the Centennial include a gala ball, film festival, 100 weddings to mark 100 years, an attempt to bake a world record-setting birthday cake, and a weekend-long birthday party highlighted by the rollicking Helldorado Parade, a longtime city tradition.

Helldorado Days

Helldorado Days was a longstanding event in Las Vegas that ran from 1934 to 1997. The popular event featured a series of parades, a rodeo, and a Western Village. The Centennial version of Helldorado Days will include a carnival, a rodeo, an auction, fireworks, and more. The Helldorado Days event is making its big comeback during the Centennial, and hopes are high that it will again become an annual event.

Folk Life Festival

The Folk Life Festival will take place in May 2005. It's an annual event held at the Clark County Government Center, and will celebrate the history of the city's diversity. The event features food, demonstrations, music, dancing, and crafts of the various ethnic groups who have called the Las Vegas area home.

100 Weddings

Las Vegas is known for its colorful weddings, and in that tradition, 100 couples will be flown in from around the country to be married under the Fremont Street Experience on the 100th day of the Centennial. Various wedding chapels in the area will marry the couples at a Las Vegas-sized ceremony under the canopy. This is just one of the great events in story for the city's Centennial year.

Be Part of Las Vegas History

Of course, the best way to be a part of the city's Centennial is to simply get yourself here! You'll feel the electricity from the moment you step off your plane, or out of your car, cab, or stretch limo.

Be part of history by booking your room, shows, tours, and more, right here at LasVegas.com.



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Centennial Calendar Highlights

Apr. 1-30: Las Vegas Clean-Up
A valley-wide clean-up effort will ensure that the city is sparkling throughout its Centennial year.

Apr. 23: International Food and Folklife Festival
This event highlights the cultural diversity in Las Vegas with food and entertainment.

May 7: Cenntennial Fly-By Air Show
This air show will feature more than 100 vintage planes flying over the Strip.

May 10-15: Helldorado Days
Helldorado was once an annual event, and this lively event returns for the city's Centennial year.

May 15: Official Centennial of Las Vegas
Happy birthday, Sin City! The city recreates the land auction that started it all, a record-breaking attempt will be made to bake the world's largest birthday cake, and more.

Jun. 9: 100 Weddings
The wedding capital of the world hosts a symbolic 100 weddings at the Fremont Street Experience.

Jun. 10-18: CineVegas Film Festival
This popular film festival focuses on 100 years of film in honor of the Centennial.

Jul. 2-5: Birthday Bash
The 4th of July weekend is going to feature a huge birthday party for the city, with special events, big-name entertainment, and much more.

Aug.: Centennial Quilt
Artisans and citizens come together to create a Las Vegas legacy.

Nov. 10-12: Aviation Nation Air Show
The Department of Defense hosts this massive collection of aviation aficionados.

Dec.: Time Capsule
It's a gift for future generations, and it will contain memorabilia spanning the city's past and present.

These are just a few of the events planned for the city's Centennial. For details, visit Lasvegas2005.org.