April 2021
What a difference a year makes…a year ago, we were two weeks into a shutdown, and we were all losing our minds. We were so confused by what was happening. We had a couple of hundred confirmed cases of covid-19 in our state. Grocery stores had bare shelves, there was no toilet paper to be found, we woke up early and stood in lines to get into stores, and we thought it would all be over in thirty days…six weeks tops. We bragged about our new exercise routines and about cleaning out our garages. We had no idea.
We had no idea that we were going to lose an entire year to this pandemic. Some people made the most of this year...some did not. We had no idea that we would be seeing tens of thousands of cases per day. People got pent up and did stupid things and gathered in masses, and then wondered why the pandemic was still spreading. “Don’t gather for Thanksgiving;” they did, and the virus spread. “Don’t gather for Christmas;” they did, and the virus spread. We were so often our own worst enemy and we created spike after needless spike.
Now we have vaccines, and we now have hope. Well, most people…I have encountered several people that still deny the severity of the virus and don’t believe in the vaccine. Their rational is that if everyone else gets the vaccine then they won’t have to.
Things are starting to come back for Vegas. More and more shows are opening, or planning to open. In my February newsletter, I reported that there were about 30 shows that were open. That number is now more than 40 shows are open. Headliners like Barry Manilow are scheduled to come back in June. Attendance is now mandated at 50% for venues with the promise of more people in May.
The first mega-convention is scheduled for June. The World on Concrete is here from June 8 – 10, and usually brings about 60,000 attendees. We are crossing our fingers, because if this one goes well, then conventions are officially back.
I believe that the economy is going to recover quickly soon after we hear those magic words, “We have reached herd immunity.” People are already chomping at the bit to get out, to travel, to play, and to party…and we in Vegas are ready for it.
April is the best month of the year (as far as I’m concerned,)...all the other months just pale in comparison. April in Vegas makes you feel alive…it’s that sense of rebirth. In Las Vegas, April is a beautiful thing...its springtime, and the world is saying, “Get out, it’s time to renew the earth!”
We have a lot of sunshine, and the weather is perfect, everything is blooming. This same growth, however, that makes me feel alive is the same thing that make some people dread this time of year. I’m lucky. I don’t have allergies. For a lot of people, though, it is a tough month. The Las Vegas valley seems to find whatever it is that you might be allergic to and send it your way...so allergy sufferers...bring allergy medicine.
The other monthly celebrations include: Keep America Beautiful Month, National Welding Month, and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
As for the daily celebrations:
The 1st of course is April Fool's Day, but it is also International Tatting Day.
The 3rd is Don't Go to Work Unless it's Fun Day.
The 4th is Hug a Newsman Day, as well as, Tell a Lie Day.
The 5th Go for Broke Day.
The 6th Plan Your Epitaph Day.
The 7th is National Beer Day, No Housework Day, and World Health Day.
The 8th is Draw a Picture of a Bird Day.
The 9th is Name Yourself Day and Winston Churchill Day.
The 10th is Golfer's Day!!
The 11th is Eight Track Tape Day (but we’re not sure why).
The 12th is Russian Cosmonaut Day.
The 14th is Ex Spouse Day, International Moment of Laughter Day, Look up at the Sky Day, and Reach as High as You Can Day.
The 15th is Titanic Remembrance Day.
The 17th is Blah, Blah, Blah Day and Pet Owners Independence Day.
The 18th is International Juggler's Day.
The 20th is my birthday,
The 21st is National High Five Day.
The 23rd is Lover's Day and Take a Chance Day
The 26th is Hug an Australian Day.
The 27th is Babe Ruth Day and Tell a Story Day.
The 28th is Kiss Your Mate Day and Take Your Daughter to Work Day.
And finally, the 30th is National Honesty Day (really it is.)
The Romans gave this month the Latin name Aprilis. The traditional etymology is from the verb aperire, meaning "to open", in allusion to its being the season when trees and flowers begin to "open" for spring.
The Lyrids meteor shower appears on April 16 – April 26 each year, with the peak generally occurring on April 22. Eta Aquariids meteor shower also appears in April. It is visible from about April 21 to about May 20 each year with peak activity on or around May 6.
April’s birthstone is the diamond.
The birth flower is typically listed as either the Daisy (Bellis perennis) or the Sweet Pea.
The zodiac signs for the month of April are Aries (until April 19) and Taurus (April 20 onwards).
While Christians are observing Easter; Pagans are celebrating Ostara. In ancient Egypt, the festival of Isis was held to celebrate the resurrection of Osiris. The Celebration of Dionysus always took place about this time in Greece; celebrating the return of the leaves on the grapevines. It seems that there is something innate that is built into the core of our being that senses this time of regeneration for the earth. There have always been celebrations in the spring honoring that spirit of rejuvenation. It is the end of winter. Spring is about re-birth, life after death, and a fresh start after a cold period in our lives. Spring brings us hope…and we are a world now looking for hope.
LIVE IS BACK! Las Vegas’ premier music, arts, culinary, comedy, and ideas festival, Life is Beautiful, will return Friday, Sept. 17 – 19, loyal fans have the opportunity to go to the three-day festival, which will once again take over 18 city blocks of the bustling streets of Downtown Las Vegas with unparalleled talent, world-renowned culinary offerings, experiential artists and more. Born as part of a community transformation project, Life is Beautiful has helped revitalize a critical urban core and given young creators and small businesses a reason to call Downtown Las Vegas home. The 2021 festival promises to deliver more of the chart-topping acts, culinary experiences, and public art that it is known for. This moment in arts and culture has never been more important to Downtown Las Vegas.
Before the party paused one year ago, ATOMIC SALOON SHOW by Spiegelworld was being hailed as the hottest new show in Las Vegas. With the recent easing of public health restrictions, proprietress Boozy Skunkton is swinging open the saloon doors once again starting May 5, 2021. To ensure sufficient physical distancing, the saloon's capacity will be reduced to accommodate just 108 guests per show, seated at cabaret tables on the venue's two levels. And word on the prairie is that the Unmasked Bandit is still on the loose, so Boozy and her staff will be on the lookout to make sure patrons are masked while watching the show. ATOMIC SALOON SHOW is a riotous and raunchy romp through the wild, Wild West as it never was, with drop-dead sexy acrobats and ridiculous comedy mayhem from a cavalcade of cowboys, showgirls, nuns, lawmen and lay-abouts.
For dates and times, be sure to log onto the Las Vegas Online Entertainment Guide: lvol.com.
Igoshows.com is, of course, the place to read the reviews of all of the shows that are in town so that you can be better informed as to what you should expect from a certain production. The reviews are updated as needed to give you the knowledge you need to spend your entertainment dollars better.
