THE CHILDREN CRIED and the parents cheered as the summer ended and the first bells of school began to ring. With over 300,000 students, the Clark County School District is the fifth largest school district in the country, and it is the only one that has opened a double-digit number of schools every year for the last seven years. The district gets more that 10,000 new students every year—because of the tremendous growth of Southern Nevada, it is often difficult for schools and teachers to keep up. This year, the district began the year while being more than 300 teachers short—anyone want a job?

The trends of fall in Las Vegas are very much the same as elsewhere in the country—it's time to get back to work, summer break is over. The pools and pool parties are starting to close, and the big business of conventions is on the horizon for our city. We finally get a break from the summer heat and fall (which is one of the best times of the year) is upon us. For productions and shows, fall is a time to evaluate the performance from the summer and decide whether to do more, less, or get out of the game all together. As with every fall, there are a large number of changes in the entertainment venues.

The NFL is getting started—which means that sports books across the city will be happy, and thousands of wives will be seeing shows, as thousands of husbands are watching and betting on the games.

UNLV will induct legendary comedian Rich Little, Nevada Ballet Theatre co-founder Nancy Houssels, architect Thomas Schoeman, and CSI creator Anthony Zuiker into the 5th Annual Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame at UNLV on September 20. The Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame was founded to honor residents of Southern Nevada who have made a significant impact on the arts.

Originally planning to close this summer, BODIES…The Exhibition and Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition will have another extension through the end of the year. Since opening at the Tropicana Resort & Casino in June 2006, hundreds of thousands of visitors have been entertained, educated and intrigued by these Strip attractions. Both exhibitions will be open through December 2007.

"V—The Ultimate Variety Show" is celebrating its fifth year in production on September 12, 2007. "V" originated at the Venetian in 2002 and moved to the V Theater in 2003 when producer David Saxe bought the theater in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. Five years and two million attendees later, V is still going strong. "V" is comprised of the some of the best variety acts in the world, and to celebrate this landmark, "V—The Ultimate Variety Show" will be selling $5 tickets to all locals for 5 days, with all of the proceeds will go to Opportunity Village. The 5 day, $5 ticket offer will begin on Monday, September 10th and go until Friday, September 14th.

Kellie Pickler will perform at Whiskey Pete's Showroom in Primm, NV, on Friday, September 14th. Pickler, an "American Idol" finalist last year, quickly became a fan favorite with her homespun, Southern-style charm and incredible vocal range. Sales from Pickler's album, "Small Town Girl," made her the best-selling new country solo artist for 2006.

The Las Vegas Tenors will be performing at the Las Vegas Hilton September 7th and 8th. The four singers—Bill Fayne, Bobby Black, Teddy Davey and Mark Giovi—have been performing to sold-out crowds at the Suncoast Hotel, and have built quite a strong locals following.

August 16th was the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis Aaron Presley. Still very much alive in Las Vegas, homage was paid to him by thousands of fans at the statue of him in the lobby of the Las Vegas Hilton.

Entertainment industry veteran Chip Lightman and entertainment publicist Laura Herlovich have joined forces to offer locals complimentary show tickets through a new outlet, ShowTickets4Locals.com. This new site replaces seatfillers.com, which had been started by The Mentalist, Gerry McCambridge. Locals may sign up free of charge for complimentary tickets by going to the ShowTickets4Locals.com Web site. The service is only available to locals with Las Vegas addresses and was created with that community in mind.

The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon is being broadcast from Las Vegas this year. Doing the honors for the second year, as the Telethon's host facility, is the South Point Hotel & Casino. MDA's "Love Network" of 190 television stations around the United States will relay the show to more than 40 million viewers in the United States and Canada. Real Networks, on the Internet at www.mda.org, will take the show to many more around the globe. This will be the 42nd consecutive Telethon for which the veteran entertainer and national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association has served as star of the show. Lewis will be joined by Telethon anchor Ed McMahon (who celebrates 40 years as Lewis' Telethon sidekick), and other celebrities who combine talents to make the marathon fund-raising event a success.

Theatre Management Group has taken control the Las Vegas showroom and nightclub previously known as Krave. TMG will assume general management, operations, booking, and production for the facility. The line-up of shows will be rather unique…August 16th was the opening of "Little Legends," the world's only tribute show headlined entirely by Little People, including Mini-Britney, Mini-Madonna, Mini-Vanilli, Mini-Elvis, and more. On August 29th, Breck Wall's sequel to the longest-running show in Vegas, "Bottoms Up 2: Burlesque Strikes Back!" made its premiere, and beginning September 12th, Jeff Hobson will make his return to the Las Vegas Strip as the host of "America's Headliners," an audience-interactive, competitive variety show featuring the nation's most talented and eclectic entertainers. On October 5th, JR Johns brings a troupe of amazing dogs into the production of "Doggone Silly," which has twice been voted the funniest family show in America.

Joe Weider's internationally renowned 2007 Olympia Weekend [Mr. Olympia, Ms. Olympia, Fitness and Figure Olympia] will be held at the Orleans Arena September 27–30, 2007. This competition is one of the most prestigious contests in the world of bodybuilding.

One of the best family events of the year is the 28th Annual San Gennaro Feast, they promise to be bigger than ever with more Italian entertainment, food, music and carnival rides. This huge Italian Festival is expecting over 150,000 attendees. The Feast will be held at 4245 Grand Canyon Drive and West Flamingo Rd., in the Grand Canyon Shopping Center, Sept. 11 through Sunday Sept. 16. The State Fair-sized carnival featuring more than 60 spectacular rides and game-midway will accompany the Italian Festival the biggest we ever had.

Mexican Independence Day is now celebrated in Las Vegas, and September 15th & 16th are jammed with some of the brightest and most notable Latin artists around.

It is going to be a busy month…
David Copperfield
MGM Grand Hotel Now until Sep 19
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour
Caesars Sep 6–8
If You Ever Leave Me, I'm Going With You
Suncoast Hotel Sep 7–9
Jack Ingram
Green Valley Ranch Sep 7
Jay Leno
Mirage Sep 7 & 8
Joel Osteen
Thomas & Mack Center Sep 7
Jungle Boogie
Cannery Casino Sep 7 Free
Kyle Eastwood
Santa Fe Station Sep 7
Lee Ann Womack
Orleans Hotel Sep 7–9
Lily Allen
Hard Rock Sep 7
Michael John's Tribute to Billy Joel
Four Queens Hotel Sep 7
Snoop Dogg
Hard Rock Sep 7
Steve Vai
Mandalay Bay Sep 7
The Las Vegas Tenors
Las Vegas Hilton Sep 7–8
Angels & Airwaves
Hard Rock Sep 8
John Anderson
Boulder Station Sep 8
Joss Stone w/ special guest Ryan Shaw
Mandalay Bay Sep 8
Nevada Ballet Theatre
Lake Las Vegas Sep 8
Stars on the Lake
Starship starring Micky Thomas & Survivor
Cannery Casino Sep 8
Toby Keith w/ Miranda Lambert and Flynnville Train
Mandalay Bay Sep 8
WoWoWillie Meets the Heartthrobs in Las Vegas
Orleans Hotel Sep 8
Akon & Rihannon with Special Guest T-Pain
Orleans Hotel Sep 9
Ben Kweller w/ Willie Mason
Four Queens Sep 9
Common
Mandalay Bay Sep 9
MTV Video Music Awards
Palms Casino Resort Sep 9


The second full week has…
Built to Spill w/ Camper Van Beethoven
Mandalay Bay Sep 10
Kings of Leon
Hard Rock Sep 11
Rise Against with Silverstein and Come Back Kid
Mandalay Bay Sep 11
San Gennaro Feast
Grand Canyon Shopping Center Sep 11–16
Hit Parade featuring Entertainers Direct from the Strip
Suncoast Hotel Sep 13
Mana
Mandalay Bay Sep 13
Smashing Pumpkins
Palms Casino Sep 13
The Temptations
Orleans Hotel Sep 13–16
Brad Garrett
Mirage Sep 14 & 15
Everclear
Green Valley Ranch Sep 14 & 15
Gabriel Iglasias
Monte Carlo Sep 14 & 15
Kellie Pickler
Whiskey Pete's Sep 14
Las Vegas Culture Fest
Fremont Street Experience Sep 14–16 Free
Luis Miguel
Caesars Palace Sep 14
Megadeath w/ In This Moment & The Confession
Mandalay Bay Sep 14
Peter Frampton & The Doobie Brothers
Red Rock Sep 14
The Donnas
Hard Rock Sep 14
Todd Rungren
Boulder Station Sep 14
5th Annual Double Down Throwdown
Orleans Hotel Sep 15
Alejandro Fernandez
Mandalay Bay Sep 15
An Evening with Polo Polo
Mandalay Bay Sep 15
Los Lonely Boys
Mandalay Bay Sep 15
Marco Antonio Solis
Las Vegas Hilton Sep 15–16
Marquez vs. Barrios
MGM Grand Sep 15
Michael Lington
Santa Fe Station Sep 15
Modest Mouse
Hard Rock Hotel Sep 15
Paul Rodriguez
Buffalo Bill's Sep 15
Petula Clark & Sammy Shore
Cannery Casino Sep 15 Free
Tito Puente, Jr.
Suncoast Hotel Sep 15–16
First Annual Mega Gospel Concert
Cox Pavilion Sep 16

The third week will feature…
Brooks & Dunn
Las Vegas Hilton Sep 19–22
Sinead O'Connor
Hard Rock Sep 19
The Rentals w/ Copeland and Goldenboy
Mandalay Bay Sep 19
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Palms Casino Sep 19
George Carlin
Orleans Hotel Sep 20–23
Christopher Cross
Gold Coast Hotel Sep 21–22
Clay Walker
Buffalo Bill's Sep 21
James Hunter
Four Queens Sep 21
Kenny Rogers
CasaBlanca Hotel Sep 21
Kinky
Hard Rock Sep 21
Paul Revere and the Raiders
Suncoast Hotel Sep 21–23
Quest for the Best: Next Movement vs. TBD
Cannery Casino Sep 21
Robert Cray Band
Boulder Station Sep 21
Scorpions
Hard Rock Sep 21
Humanity World Tour
Velvet Revolver w/ Alice in Chains and Sparta
Mandalay Bay Sep 21
Revolution Tour
Def Leppard w/ Styx & Foreigner
Mandalay Bay Sep 22
Eric Johnson
Four Queens Sep 22
Freestyle Old School Explosion
Orleans Hotel Sep 22
Artists include: Stevie B., Expose, Trinere, Company B, Stacey Q, MC Magic of NB Ridaz, Sophia Maria
Frozen Fury X: L.A. Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche
MGM Grand Sep 22
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series—Smith's 350
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sep 22
Ray Romano
Mirage Sep 22–23
Sugar Ray w/ Jeremy Cornwell and Chris Clouse
Mandalay Bay Sep 22
Wine Amplified Festival
The Pointer Sisters
Cannery Casino Sep 22
Smith's Las Vegas 350 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sep 23

The fourth week of September will present:
Neil Sedaka
Orleans Hotel Sep 26–30
Aaron Lewis from Staind
Mandalay Bay Sep 27
Las Vegas Bikefest
Cashman Center Sep 27–30
Bellamy Brothers
Suncoast Hotel Sep 28–30
Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush
Four Queens Sep 28
Las Vegas Antique Arms Show
Riviera Hotel Sep 28–30
Mr. Olympia
Orleans Hotel Sep 28–30
Mr. Olympia is an international bodybuilding event
Willie Nelson & Family
Hard Rock Sep 28
ARTV Awards
Palms Sep 29
Be Young Band
Gold Coast Sep 29
Charley Pride
Texas Station Sep 29
Christian Scott
Santa Fe Station Sep 29
Kenny G
Lake Las Sep 29
Stars on the Lake
Pauly Shore with Sammy Shore
Mandalay Bay Sep 29
Rocktoberfest w/ Space Oddity
Cannery Casino Sep 29
Silver Dollar Classic '07
Sam Boyd Stadium Sep 29
Daddy Yankee
Orleans Hotel Sep 30
Underoath w/ Poison the Well, Mayline & the Sons of Disaster
Mandalay Bay Sep 30