Historical exhibits debut, Whiskerino and Mutton Busting return, coloring contest for local students now open
The Plaza Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas will again host the Las Vegas Days Rodeo at its outdoor equestrian center, the CORE Arena, on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 11-12 starting at 6 p.m. (gates open at 5 p.m.). The event will also feature a free Whiskerino contest, Mutton Busting, historical exhibits, and coloring contest for Southern Nevadan children in grades kindergarten through six.
Sponsored by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial and the Plaza Hotel & Casino, the Las Vegas Days rodeo is fully sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association.
It will feature bull riding, barrel racing, team roping, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, breakaway, and bareback riding, with prize purses totaling $40,000 and custom belt buckles for champions. Admission is free but RSVP is recommended online.
In conjunction with the rodeo, the Plaza is again sponsoring a children’s coloring contest. Local students in grades kindergarten through six are encouraged to download, print out and hand color the scene paying homage to the Plaza’s historic address. Electronic coloring is not allowed. All entries need a parent or guardian’s signature to be considered. Entries can be submitted through the Plaza’s website by completing the entry form and uploading a quality photo or scan of the colored page. Submissions are due Thursday, Oct. 27. Winners are notified on Thursday, Nov. 3, and winning artwork will be featured at the rodeo.
Prizes for first, second and third place will be awarded to students in each grade division and their teachers. Prizes will include gift certificates from the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas Natural History Museum, The Neon Museum, Pop Up Pizza, Uptown Jungle, and more. To enter the contest and for more information, visit https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/las-vegas-days-rodeo/contest/.
The Whiskerino contest returns to the rodeo this year. Free to enter, the contest offers prizes in multiple categories including Longest Beard, Longest Mustache, Best Natural Beard, Worst Beard, and Most Unique.
Participants are encouraged to dress in Western attire or early 1900’s period costumes. Registration is open until Oct. 28 on the Plaza’s website. Participants must be present at the rodeo to win.
The Las Vegas Day Rodeo will also feature Mutton Busting for future cowboys and cowgirls. The sheep riding competition is open to children ages 4-10 who weigh less than 60 pounds. The winner gets a commemorative buckle.
Registration and details at https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/las-vegas-days-rodeo/mutton-busting/.
Committed to showcasing the history of Las Vegas as an element of the rodeo experience, the Plaza will have a “Then & Now” display of photos of downtown Las Vegas along with western-themed exhibits in a tented educational pavilion open to the public near the rodeo ring. Plaza staff will also be in the pavilion asking trivia questions and giving away prizes for correct answers.
And in the Plaza’s showroom on the casino floor, there will be special viewings of the documentary “The City of Las Vegas: The Early Years” which was funded by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial and focuses on the founding and first 20 years of the community (1905-1920) on Friday and Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.