Knight Rider comes to Fremont Street

If you are a big fan of the classic television show (or the new one), "Knight Rider", then this event at the Fremont Street Experience is one you don't want to miss. Kitt will be there and Mayor Oscar Goodman will be making a special appearance this evening as well:

Fremont Street Experience hosts the 2009 Knight Rider Festival on Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21. The event is free and open to the public.

The Knight Rider Festival kicks off at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 20 with both the original and new KITT cars followed by a ski stunt performance and opening remarks with Mayor Goodman at 6 p.m. The evening also features entertainment with Paul Casey and other special guest performers on the 1st Street Stage. The Knight Rider Festival continues on throughout Saturday, March 21 with opening ceremonies, a VIP Q&A session and autograph signings by current and former Knight Rider celebrities. The KITT replica cars will be on display until 11 p.m.

WHEN:
Friday, March 20
5 p.m. – KITT car display

6 p.m. – Ski stunt with Mayor Goodman
6:15 p.m. – Opening remarks with Mayor Goodman; 1st Street Stage
8-11 p.m. – Paul Casey & special guest performers; 1st Street Stage

Saturday, March 21
10 a.m. – Opening ceremonies; 1st Street Stage
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. – VIPs Q&A session; 1st Street Stage
12-1 p.m. – Autograph signing; 1st Street Stage
1-2 p.m. – VIPs Q&A session; 3rd Street Stage
2-3 p.m. – Autograph signing; 3rd Street Stage
3-4 p.m. – Knight Rider Companion book signing; 3rd Street Stage
8-11 p.m. – Paul Casey & special guest performers; 1st Street Stage

WHERE:
Fremont Street Experience located in downtown Las Vegas

Las Vegas News Bureau Opens the Vaults!

From the Los Angeles Times:

Sammy Davis, Jr and Loray White celebrate following their marriage in 1958

In a city that's always on the go, there's never a lack of photo opportunities. For more than 60 years, photographers from the Las Vegas News Bureau have been capturing every conceivably newsworthy activity -- as diverse as the atomic bomb and Elton John -- to both document and publicize this ever-evolving city. They've probably shot a million pictures, maybe more.

"We're guesstimating," says Lisa Jacob, senior manager of the news bureau, an arm of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. "The more drawers we open, the more we find."

As curator Brian Alvarez, hired two years ago to archive the images, continues sorting them, he's stumbling across pictures nobody remembered. One such image shows President Kennedy visiting troops at the Nevada Test Site, about 65 miles northwest of Vegas, where atomic bombs were detonated during the 1950s and '60s.

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Where to see 'From the Vault'

SCHEDULE

March 31-May 19: Whitney Library

June 2-July 28: Enterprise Library

Aug. 4-Oct. 11: Clark County Library

Oct. 13-Nov. 30: Centennial Hills Library

Dec. 1-Jan. 12: West Charleston Library

For library hours and locations, visit www.lvccld.org.

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Deciding that the photos have been hidden far too long, Alvarez and Jacob are putting a sampling on public display. An exhibit, "From the Vault," will tour local libraries for nine months beginning March 31.

Of course, the showbiz legends that have played the showrooms of Sin City -- Elvis, Liberace and Sinatra, among them -- are well represented. But the show also depicts marketers' early efforts to promote Las Vegas as a tourist destination.

There's a curious photo of a guy dubbed "Mr. Atomic Bomb," who's naked except for a mushroom cloud made of cotton. The picture was part of a campaign to encourage visitors to come and watch the huge explosions. In another picture, two average tourists are shown having fun along Fremont Street in 1953.

"It's an adventure every time we go up to the vault," Jacob says. She adds that, as more hidden treasures are revealed, additional public displays of the photographs will be discussed.

Helldorado Days in the 1950s when the parade rivaled the Rose Parade for attendance and floats

Elmo Ellsworth and Dee Dee Lees, two out-town visitors, on Fremont Street in 1953

Special thanks to Brian "Paco" Alvarez and the Las Vegas News Bureau for permission to use these photos.

"Las Vegas in Postcards" in Bookstores Now!

I was on K-DWN radio yesterday morning promoting my new book, "Las Vegas in Postcards: 1905-1965".

As many of you know, Carey Burke, Allen Sandquist and I spent a long time working on this book last year and our hardwork paid off.  The book looks great.  It is filled with historic postcards that depict the real history of Las Vegas and focus not only on the well-known iconic side of Las Vegas but also the little known residential history of the town.

We owe a big debt of thanks to Dennis McBride, the Curator of History, at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas for letting us use some early postcards from their collection.  Mostly, the postcards came from Carey and Allen's extensive collections.  Many are rare and rarely seen postcards.

So, if you want to know about the Roadside Architecture of Las Vegas, the gaming, the neighborhood churches and schools,  real history of the motels (some of which still exist on East Fremont Street) as well as the real history of the buildings and businesses on Fremont Street and the Strip, then be sure t to get a copy of this book.

On Friday evening, May 8th, Carey Burke and I will be doing a book-signing and program (moderated by Dennis McBride) at the Nevada State Museum.  Stay tuned for more details as that date draws closer.

Also, we are preparing a companion video to go with the book.  Both the companion video and autographed copies of the book will be available for sale here in the weeks to come.  So, keep an eye out here for more details!

Of course, if you find you just can't wait, the book is available in most local to Las Vegas Barnes and Noble and Borders bookstores.  You can also buy copies of the book at the Gift Shop in the Nevada State Museum.

Las Vegas in Postcards: 1905-1965 Publication date set

Just wanted to give everyone an update on our upcoming book.

It will be available as of March 2nd.

This is a look at the history of Las Vegas through postcards.  Many came from the private collection of my co-authors as well as the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas.  It offers a look at not only the history of Fremont Street and the Strip but of neighborhoods and other important local places of importance such as schools and churches.  Las Vegas has always been much more than just a gaming mecca and this book offers a glimpse into what life was like in 20th Century Las Vegas.

So keep an eye out for it in your local bookstores.

Or you can pre-order it on Amazon here:

http://tinyurl.com/bnntom

Or from Arcadia Publishing here:

http://tinyurl.com/dzxg3z

Or if you would like an autographed copy, we will have the book for sale here on the blog  in a few weeks.

If you live in Las Vegas we will be doing book signings around the Valley so keep an eye out here for more details on that as well.