Community briefs: North Las Vegas marks Hispanic Heritage Month

**Community briefs: North Las Vegas marks Hispanic Heritage Month** *Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026 | 2 a.m.* North Las Vegas will host its sixth annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, at Craig Ranch Regional Park, 628 W. Craig Road. The free event runs until 10:30 p.m. and will feature a parade of nations, a Grito de Dolores ceremony, food, dancing and live music. Hispanic Heritage Month is observed nationwide each year from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, commemorating the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries, including Mexico, whose Grito de Dolores ceremony on the evening of Sept. 15 signals the start of that nation’s independence festivities. “Hispanic Heritage Month is simply a meaningful time for our community to come together and observe the vibrant cultures that shape North Las Vegas,” said Ward 1 Councilman Isaac Barron. “Whether you’ve joined us before or are experiencing the event for the first time, everyone is welcome.” Residents who wish to participate in the parade of nations can register through Sept. 10 at cityofnorthlasvegas.com/hispanicheritage. The city also has scheduled a month’s worth of smaller events at local libraries and recreation centers, including a Salsa Splash pool party from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday at Petitti Pool, 2505 N. Bruce St.; a free mariachi and Frida Kahlo workshop from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21, at City Hall Library, 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. North; and a Lotería Game Night from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at City Hall Library. For a full schedule, visit cityofnorthlasvegas.com/hispanicheritage. **Metro opens area commands for ‘First Tuesday’** The Metro Police Department will open its area commands to the public on Tuesday as part of its monthly First Tuesday community outreach initiative. Eight commands across the valley will hold presentations on topics ranging from search‑and‑rescue operations to e‑bike safety. Events occur at varying times throughout the day: - The South Central Area Command presents an overview of the LVMPD Communications Bureau at 1 p.m. at 4860 Las Vegas Blvd. South. - The Northeast Area Command hosts a discussion on veterans outreach programs at 4 p.m. at 3750 Cecile Ave. - The Spring Valley Area Command features a See Something, Say Something briefing at 4:30 p.m. at 8445 Eldora Ave. - The Bolden Area Command presents Red Rock Search and Rescue at 5 p.m. at 1851 Stella Lake St. - The Downtown Area Command covers property crimes and homicide at 5 p.m. at 621 N. Ninth St. - The Northwest Area Command presents LVMPD 911 Dispatch at 5:30 p.m. at 9850 W. Cheyenne Ave. - The Summerlin Area Command hosts an e‑bike/e‑motorcycle safety and education event at 5:30 p.m. at the Siena Community Ballroom, 10525 Siena Monte Ave. - The Enterprise Area Command presents LVMPD ARMOR at 6 p.m. at 6975 W. Windmill Lane. All events are free and open to the community. **Henderson brings ‘Up’ to life at Water Street** The city of Henderson will screen Disney and Pixar’s “Up” outdoors, accompanied by a live orchestra performance, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, at Water Street Plaza, 240 S. Water St. The Henderson Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Taras Krysa, will perform the film’s score live as the movie plays on the plaza’s 42‑foot LED screen. The score was composed by Michael Giacchino, who earned an Academy Award and a Grammy for the music. The film itself won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Activities begin at 6 p.m. Admission is free, and the event is open to all ages. Organizers encourage attendees to bring chairs, blankets and refreshments. For more information, visit cityofhenderson.com. **City of Las Vegas to unveil public sculpture** The city of Las Vegas will dedicate its newest public art installation at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 2500 Sunrise Ave., followed by a reception at 10 a.m. at the East Las Vegas Community Center, 250 N. Eastern Ave. The sculpture, titled “Las Tres Flores,” features three towering metallic carnivore poppy flowers and a single bud rising from blue‑green leaves, with boulders at the base evoking the rocky desert terrain where the plant thrives. It sits on an island at the intersection of Sunrise Avenue and 26th Street. Las Vegas‑based artist Justin Favela, whose large‑scale piñata‑style sculptures have been exhibited nationally and internationally—including a 2025 installation at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery—created the work. Vik Sehdev served as lead engineer and Adin Fly as fabricator. Maggie Plaster, the city’s parks, recreation and cultural affairs director, will open the ceremony, with remarks from Favela, Ward 3 councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Olivia Diaz, and Arts Commissioner Fawn Douglas. The event is free and open to the public. **Spoken word comes to West Las Vegas Theatre** The city of Las Vegas will present “Sin City Speaks,” a blend of poetry, drama and music, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the West Las Vegas Theatre, 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd. The show features internationally recognized spoken‑word poets Rudy Francisco and Javon Johnson. Francisco, a San Diego native, has appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and is known for work that explores love, race and human connection. Johnson is a UNLV professor and director of African American and African Diaspora Studies, as well as the author of “Killing Poetry: Blackness and the Making of Slam and Spoken Word Communities.” Las Vegas comedian Shanna Christmas will host, and DJ Kelly J will provide music throughout the evening. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 and are available online. For further details, contact the city of Las Vegas. **Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz returns Sept. 12** The city of Las Vegas will host the fourth annual Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 9200 Tule Springs Road. The free, family‑friendly event is part of a national campaign sponsored by the National Recreation and Park Association and the Scotts Miracle‑Gro Foundation. Participants can take part in a plant and insect swap, play BioBlitz Bingo, visit exhibitor booths and enjoy STEAM activities. Food trucks will offer refreshments for sale. Park admission will be free during the event. The BioBlitz challenges participants to record as many pollinator taxa as possible throughout September using the iNaturalist app, which assists the online community in identifying plants, animals and insects. Community partners expected to join include the Discovery Children’s Museum, the Las Vegas‑Clark County Library District, Red Rock Audubon Society, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Springs Preserve and Master Gardeners of Nevada, among others. To register and for information, email [email protected] or call 702‑762‑4280. **Grand Prix Plaza features September specials** Grand Prix Plaza will celebrate Mexican Independence Day and continue its Grand Prix Sundays race‑replay series throughout September ahead of its seasonal closure on Oct. 4. From Sept. 11 to 16, the venue will offer a limited‑time menu in honor of the holiday, including tacos and tequila cocktails. College students can receive Nevada‑resident pricing on F1 DRIVE and F1 X attractions through Oct. 4 by presenting a valid school ID at the ticket booth and using the discount code STUDENT online. Convention and conference attendees can obtain the same pricing by showing a valid event badge. Grand Prix Sundays race replays at the F1 HUB Lounge will continue with the Italian Grand Prix on Sept. 6, the Spanish Grand Prix on Sept. 13 and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sept. 26. Doors open at 11 a.m. and races begin at noon for each. Reservations are recommended at GrandPrixPlaza.com. Operating hours through the seasonal close are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.