(Image: courtesy of F1)

November is a fun but different month in Las Vegas. Early in the month, the entertainment is frontloaded. The Vegas Strip is closed to vehicles for a couple of days late in the month and some shows go dark.

The vast majority of residencies and limited engagements take place during the first few weeks of November. The action on the stages slows down when Formula 1 rolls into town for the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix (LVGP).

When the F1 cars leave, regional visitors flock to Las Vegas to celebrate Thanksgiving. Once this busy weekend ends, everyone in Las Vegas looks forward to the holiday season and the new year. All the casinos with floral displays will have something new to look at, pose in front of, and smell. The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens starts the holiday celebration with its newest display starting Nov. 16.

While all this is happening, the temperatures continue to fall in Las Vegas. Accuweather prognosticates that highs won’t reach 80 degrees Fahrenheit in November. F1 crews and international visitors were a bit surprised by the low temperatures in the upper 40s during the nights of the LVGP last year.

SEMA State of Mind

One of the largest expos in Las Vegas each year takes place in early November. The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is a trade association that represents the automotive aftermarket industry and will fill the hotels from Nov. 5-8.

Last year SEMA drew a record 160,000 people for a four-day show. Between SEMA and the LVGP Las Vegas is a hotbed for car enthusiasts all month.

Las Vegas Residencies and Limited Engagements

• Tears For Fears at Fontainebleau: Nov. 1, 2
• New Edition at Wynn: Nov. 1, 2
• Foreigner at The Venetian: Nov. 1, 2, 6, 8, 9
• The Eagles at Sphere: Nov. 1, 2, 8, 9
• Adele at Caesars Palace: Nov. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23
• Lionel Richie at Wynn: Nov. 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16
• Barry Manilow at Westgate: Nov. 7,8, 9, 14, 15, 16
• Babyface at Palms: Nov. 8 , 9
• Pitbull at Fontainebleau: Nov. 8, 9
• B-52’s at The Venetian: Nov. 13, 15, 16
• Nick Carter at The Venetian: Nov. 16, 17
• Shania Twain at Planet Hollywood: Nov. 29, 30

Look ahead: Janet Jackson's residency at Resorts World begins in December.

New Events For Las Vegas

In November there will be at least two new events for Las Vegas. Both are taking place off the Vegas Strip so they may have flown under the radar.

ComplexCon

ComplexCon will take place in Las Vegas for the first time on Nov. 16 and 17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The festival that has been around since 2016 blends music, art, sneakers, fashion, and pop culture.

The Family Style food festival was a late addition to the lineup.

Travis Scott, Metro Boomin, and Playboy Carti headline the music portion of ComplexCon. Nearly 200 fashion brands like Nike, Patta, and designer Salehe Bembury will be at the ComplexCon Marketplace. 

There will even be a golf pro-am at the Wynn Golf Club this year.

Neon City Festival

The first Neon City Festival will take place all over downtown Las Vegas Nov. 22-24 beginning at 5 pm each day. This alternative to the F1 race includes live music on multiple stages, culinary experiences, live art, a drone show, and fireworks.

Festivities for this free event will take place from the Fremont Street Experience all the way south to The Strat. Music headliners include All-American Rejects, Neon Trees, and Alison Wonderland. The festival will add a couple more popular acts to the lineup, which can be viewed here.

Get Ready for the Las Vegas Grand Prix

Much of the race course for the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix is on the Vegas Strip. Expect a slew of road closures and traffic in the area for the rest of the year. 

While the sidewalk is closed in front of the Bellagio you can still watch the fountain show just off the valet area (above). It’s a different view than most see but the Eiffel Tower in the background offers a different backdrop for a quintessential Vegas photo op.

Race Schedule

Whether you’re attending the race or not it’s helpful to know the LVGP schedule. It will be difficult to navigate around the Vegas Strip while race activities are taking place. This is when there will not be any outside vehicular traffic around the circuit.

Thursday, Nov. 21

• Practice session 1: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
• Practice session 2: 10 pm - 11 pm

Friday, Nov. 22

• Practice session 3: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
• Qualifying: 10 pm - 11 pm

Saturday, Nov. 23

• Race: 10 pm

Pro Tip: Use the monorail to access casinos on the east side (The Venetian, MGM Grand) of the Vegas Strip. The west side of the Vegas Strip (Caesars Palace, Cosmopolitan) might be easier to reach by rideshare or taxi.

F1 Activities and Car Shows

Most Vegas Strip casinos have special packages for the LVGP. That’s great if you’re a big race fan and want to attend the race.

However, there are plenty of F1 activities that anyone can enjoy.

MGM Resorts Race Week has plenty of free activities. You just have to read past sales items to find them here.

• Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team at Aria: This activation includes race simulators, practice cars, merch, and more.
• Ferrari Pop-Up Boutique at Bellagio: Fans can pick up exclusive Ferrari merch that includes autographed and one-of-a-kind items.
• Shoey Bar at Bellagio: Yes, you can drink from a shoe at Bellagio. The popular bar returns with an all-new golden shoe for guests to enjoy their favorite beverage. Heads up that drink prices include the souvenir shoe and are more expensive than usual.
• Williams Racing Experience at New York-New York: There will be driver appearances, simulators, and cars for fans to see up close. 
• Haas F1 Team Show Car and Memorabilia Display at Cosmopolitan: This activation includes a car show, memorabilia, race suits, and more.

Before LVGP weekend, Wynn is holding its 3rd annual Concours with more than 250 unique vehicles. This show has everything from classics to futuristic cars. Tickets start at $106.09.

Wynn also has a full card of Race Week special events. Most come with a fee or are are invitation only. However, there are some things anyone can enjoy.

• Ultimate Race Week Pit Stop will take place inside the Encore Tower. Guests can try the Red Bull Pit Stop Challenge or check out the Sotheby’s cars on display and race simulators.
• Lewis Hamilton's streetwear-inspired clothing brand, +44, will be available at a boutique pop-up at Encore Beach Club.
• The LOUIS XIII Pop-Up Boutique is already open. This is available to everyone and has merch and booze available for purchase.
• Unfortunately, the free event on the land Wynn owns across the street is fully booked.

Most of Fontainebleau’s Race Week activities will take place inside LIV Nightclub or at the F1 paddock. There is one neat automotive display at the casino.

• From Nov. 1-24, Fontainebleau will host the Aston Martin British Bloodline experience. There will be 20 beautiful cars on display throughout the resort for most of the month.

Race World at Resorts World is a little different than the other Las Vegas casinos promoting LVGP. Society Sevn will end a car rally from Los Angeles to Las Vegas on Friday night. The next day there will be several “unique” cars for all guests to see.

• The K1 Speed: E-Go Karts event could be one of the most unique events inside a Las Vegas casino. The all-ages indoor go-kart racing event at the casino is already open!
• Resorts World will host a high-limit charity poker tournament, numerous big-name DJs inside its nightclub, and a two-day food festival.

On Sat. Nov. 23, Palms is hosting a Q&A with former Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner at 2 pm. Tickets for the free event at Ghostbar must be reserved in advance.

The Venetian is the host casino for the Alpine race team. Visitors to the casino might see some of the celebrity owners like Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, Travis Kelce, and Patrick Mahomes roaming around the casino.

Visit www.f1lasvegasgp.com for up-to-date information.

Las Vegas Sporting Events

The Vegas Golden Knights season is in full swing. There are a handful of home games during the month despite being on the road for 12 straight days. Here’s a visitor guide to Golden Knights games for anyone coming to Las Vegas to watch an NHL game.

• Nov. 2 vs. Utah Hockey Club
• Nov. 11 vs. Carolina Hurricanes
• Nov. 17 vs. Washington Capitals
• Nov. 29 vs. Winnipeg Jets
• Nov. 30 vs. Utah Hockey Club

Chiefs fans seem to really like Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/keokLjYAf5

— Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) October 27, 2024

The Raiders are playing in Las Vegas to cap off race week on Nov. 24 against the Denver Broncos. Like most games visiting fans will be visiting Las Vegas for the game. Here’s a visitors guide to Raiders games at Allegiant Stadium.

The college basketball season gets underway this month. The UNLV Rebels get things started with five games at the Thomas & Mack Center:

• Nov. 4 vs. Alabama St.
• Nov. 9 vs. Memphis
• Nov. 14 vs. Omaha
• Nov. 20 vs. Pepperdine
• Nov. 23 vs. New Mexico State

There are also a few college hoops events for teams around the country:

• Nov. 4 - Hall of Fame Series at T-Mobile Arena: Texas vs Ohio State (Men) and South Carolina vs. Michigan (Women)
• Nov. 26 - Vegas Showdown at T-Mobile Arena: Duke vs. Kansas and Furman vs. Seattle
• Nov. 26-30 - Players Era Thanksgiving Festival at MGM Grand: This eight-team tournament features Alabama, Notre Dame, Houston, Rutgers, and more. See the tournament bracket here.

Baseball fans won’t be shut out of the sporting events in November. The All-MLB Team Show takes place at The Cosmopolitan on Nov. 14. Many of the best players in MLB will be on hand for the show and after-party. Some will compete in the Pro-Am golf event the day after the show.

Look ahead: Super Bowl watch party tickets are already on sale for early planners. The Big Game will be played on Feb. 9, 2025.

Thanksgiving In Las Vegas

Just about every casino from the suburbs to the Vegas Strip will be busy during Thanksgiving weekend and every good restaurant will be packed. This is a rare weekend in Las Vegas where the tourists and locals converge on the same places. Much like the tourists taking a long weekend in Las Vegas, the residents would rather let someone else do the cooking.

Most restaurants will offer something different than their normal menu for the holiday.

Pro Tip: Make reservations sooner than later. Just about every desirable restaurant will be full on Thanksgiving and getting reservations are more difficult closer to the holiday.

Winter Dayclub Changes

The cooler temperatures mean that most dayclubs and some pools are closing for the year. However, some casinos repurpose their pools during the holidays.

Tao Beach at The Venetian is being replaced by Flippers Roller Boogie Palace (roller skating) beginning Nov. 16. A one-hour is $20 and an eight hours is $45 per person. 

On Nov. 27, Fontainebleau will transform its rooftop pool deck into the Oasis Ice Rink. There are fees for entry and skating. Fontainebleau Rewards members receive a discount.

The Cosmopolitan Ice Rink will return to the Boulevard Pool on Nov. 28. Additionally, the Marquee Dayclub dome ensures that the daytime pool party never ends.