Here's Everything You Should Do in Las Vegas in October

Fall is shaping up to be a monumental season with so many fun things to do in Las Vegas. The Sphere's official debut made headlines worldwide, with U2 welcoming guests for the first time in late September. Twelve of the band's 25 Vegas dates take place in October, making it the busiest month for the residency. Music fans can also catch the final run of Katy Perry's Play at Resorts World, which wraps up in early November. The singer has definitely enjoyed her time in Vegas while performing a total of 80 shows over the past two years.

October is full of festive fright, with Las Vegas celebrating Halloween all month. The Las Vegas Arts District welcomes a pair of new productions: Abandon (set in 19th century Paris) by the Las Vegas Theatre Company and Scream'd: An Unauthorized Musical Parody by the Majestic Repertory Theatre. Check out returning haunted attractions such as Asylum and Hotel Fear by Las Vegas Haunts, HallOVeen inside the Magical Forest at Opportunity Village, and 31 Freak Street, which moves to Boulder City with a Haunted Flying Saucer theme. AREA15 will once again transform into ScAREA15 with a series of events, including immersive productions of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Halloween-themed pop-up bars are becoming a trend, with Nightmare on Spring Mountain at Sand Dollar Lounge and the Haunted Tavern at Inspire Downtown. Catch your favorite scary movie at the Beverly Theater, which is screening more than 40 horror classics all month.

Place your bets! Sports are picking back up with the Raiders and Vegas Golden Knights (the current Stanley Cup Champions) returning to regular season play. Another defending championship team, the Aces, are in the WNBA finals, hoping to top the league two years in a row. Cheer on your favorites in person or catch the action from one of the best sports bars around town.

And that's just the beginning as Sin City continues to grow and change in 2023 with the long-awaited arrival of the Formula 1 Grand Prix and new resorts like Durango, Fontainebleau, and The Queen, an LGBTQ-friendly boutique hotel and restaurant that arrives in time for Las Vegas Pride in October. As always, you've got great new restaurants, hot bars (hidden or otherwise), and other fun things to do in Las Vegas, from shows and slot machines to weird museums and even a few free things to do. So, use the following itinerary to guide a busy October.

Ongoing
The Park, $39
Nusr-Et, the restaurant by chef and meme "Salt Bae" Nusret Gökçe, is broadening its approach with a wider, more approachable array of price points. The new Business Lunch menu is a welcome change of pace, running from 1 to 5:30 pm seven days a week. Choose between an appetizer (like the "meat sushi" topped with crispy potatoes), a main entree (with a 5-ounce filet mignon and wagyu burger among the top picks) with a side vegetable, and dessert, including baklava so good, it's flown in direct from Turkey or Turkish ice cream, made with salep and goat milk for a unique thick and rich texture.

October 1–27
The Venetian, $46 and up
The X Pot, which offers a luxury spin on classic hot pots and other Asian recipes, now has a limited-edition Early Bird menu. Visit Monday-Friday between 11:30 am and 5:30 pm to build your own hot pot with a choice of soup base and Wagyu beef with vegetables and fried rice. Mix and match the ingredients while your hot pot simmers at the table.

October 1–31
Forum Shops at Caesars, Prices vary
October is one of the best months to check out the Water Grill, a restaurant that sources its own catch via King's Seafood. Copper River Salmon is currently on the menu, a fish known for its buttery flavor, and spiny lobsters will be introduced at some point during the month. Wild-caught in California, the lobsters are pulled from the tank, charcoal grilled, and served with a butter topping. Spiny lobsters don't have claws like Maine lobsters. Instead, they use their spine and tail for defense, which results in a meatier and more flavorful tail that's easier to pull out and eat. It's some of the best seafood you'll enjoy in Vegas.

October 19
Grand Bazaar Shops, Free admission; other prices vary
Bourbon Parade opens to the public at 4 pm at the Grand Bazaar Shops in front of the Horseshoe casino. The bar and lounge takes inspiration from New Orleans' French Quarter, with live jazz musicians performing throughout the day, including a marching brass band with visitors encouraged to dance and join the occasional "parade" throughout the venue. Cocktails are available on tap (like a classic Hurricane or Dreamsicle Fizz) and via flask (like a Chicory Old Fashioned or Sazerac).

October 21
Venetian, Tickets $30-$50
Lavo's infamous party brunch is back at the Palazzo wing of the Venetian resort. The high-energy celebration of food and booze begins on the late side at 12 noon, so those who are up all night at the clubs can keep the party going after waking up. The meal features a fist-pumping DJ and lots of champagne to go along with indulgent dishes like king crab benedicts with caviar, red velvet pancakes, seafood towers, and a one-pound meatball (presumably to share). Dancing on tables isn't frowned upon.

October 23
Summerlin, $80 per person (plus $20 for beer pairings)
Featherblade, the only sustainable whole-animal butchery in Las Vegas, is teaming up with Honey Salt for an amazing one-night-only dinner for meat lovers at 6 pm. Roam between carving stations for fresh slices of grilled Jidori Chicken Tikka, Santa Carota striploin, herb roasted porchetta, slow-braised bone-in short rib, and Northern England Lamb Pot Pie while munching on a variety of sides, appetizers, salads, and desserts. You'll definitely get your money's worth at this meal, which begins with season-worthy Apple Cider Old Fashioned. Beer pairings are optional.

October 24
Mountain's Edge, $125
Locale Italian Kitchen is hosting a five-course dinner with pairings by Banfi wine. Enjoy select picks from the Italian vineyard while feasting on a mini-potato with caviar; choice of big eye tuna crudo or pesto arugula salad; stuffed pappardelle with butternut squash or wild mushroom farrotto with black truffle; grilled Bavette steak, pan-seared Alaskan halibut, or grilled quail scarpariello with spicy Italian sausage; and a pistachio Crème Brulée dessert. Reservations are available between 5 and 8:30 pm.

October 27
Caesars Palace, Prices vary
Nobu is throwing an over-the-top bash to mark 10 years as a stylish, boutique-style hotel-within-a-hotel at Caesars Palace. A lavish reception at Nobu restaurant will include seafood displays with ice sculptures, passed items like wagyu sandwiches and crispy chicken wings in hot sauce, and robata dishes like soy-glazed lobster and ponzu pork belly. A sushi bar will also serve hand rolls and caviar tacos. Many of the bites are inspired by Nobu hotels throughout North America. Save room for cocktails at an open bar and black sesame soft-serve ice cream for dessert.

October 28
Tivoli Village, General admission $65 and VIP $100 (in advance)
If you're going to have an afternoon food festival in Las Vegas, October is the perfect month for it. The USA Today Wine & Food Experience takes advantage of the mild, sunny weather with an extravagant culinary event at Tivoli Village 1-4 pm. Some of our favorite Las Vegas restaurants (like Anima, Evel Pie, and Harlo Steakhouse) will be serving up delicious bites while guests view cooking demonstrations and sip on drinks from the likes of Frey Ranch (whiskey distilled with Nevada grains), Rancho la Gloria tequila, and Ketchum Estate wines. VIP tickets provide early admission at noon and access to a private lounge.

October 21
Downtown, Free admission; other prices vary 
Eat great and skip the meat. The Vegas VegFest takes over the Clark County Amphitheater from 11 am to 6 pm. The festival celebrates plant-based dining with cooking demos, guest speakers, and, of course, lots of great food and drink—all of it 100% vegan. Some activities tap into the Halloween spirit, including trick-or-treat stations from  to 4 pm, a Haunted Forest, a costume contest, and a "Creeptacular Cupcake Competition." Then again, you can always test your skills with a vegan burrito eating competition.

October 21
Tivoli Village, $70 and up
The Great American Foodie Fest presents a Food Truck & Wine Walk, which takes place under the stars at Tivoli Village from 6 to 10 pm. There are 15 wine stations, each designed to pair with an off-menu item from some of the best food trucks in Las Vegas. VIP tickets include access to a lounge, DJ, and additional drink stations.

October 27–31
Multiple Locations, Prices vary
It's just a coincidence that Nevada Day (October 27) tends to fall on Halloween Weekend, marking the day the Silver State officially became a state and was admitted to the Union. The best way to celebrate? Drink beer. The Nevada Craft Brewers Association has a "Pint Day" special from October 27 to 31. Buy a glass and sticker for $19.99 and bring it to any participating brewery for $5 select beers.

October 1–29
Lone Mountain, $20 (free on select days this month)
The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum (a great date spot and true hidden gem in the West Valley) is teaming up with UNLV's Black Mountain Institute for "Vegas & Verse." Fifteen Masters and Doctoral students in the university's Creative Writing program crafted poems inspired by specific pieces in the museum, highlighting the work of the late Rita Deanin Abbey, a former UNLV art professor. See the poems posted next to paintings and sculptures through October 29. A few of the students are volunteering as docents on October 6, 7, 14, and 21 with free admission on those days only. As always, the general public is welcome by making an appointment in advance. 

October 20
Southwest, Free
The new Evora commercial and residential complex continues to take shape in the Southwest Valley, debuting an outdoor amphitheater in time for fall with a performance by Creedenced, a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band, at 8 pm. It's a great opportunity to hang out on the patio at Basilico, one of the most ambitious Italian restaurants in Las Vegas. Try newly released seasonal dishes like a bone marrow antipasti with lardo, uni chawanmushi, and chamomile or chicken roulade with chestnut chevre-potato mousseline and marsala-mushroom sauce. 

October 21
Downtown, $29 and up
The Las Vegas Philharmonic kicks off the 2023-2024 season with Symphonic Spectacular, a two-performance that includes iconic classical pieces like Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries and Rossini's William Tell Overture. The orchestra takes the stage at 7:30 at Reynolds Hall inside the Smith Center with Conductor Donato Cabrera marking his 10th year as musical director. A pre-show lecture and conversation is at 6:30 pm.  

October 21–22
The Strip, $489 and up
The debut of the When We Were Young music festival had a rocky start last year, with the first of three dates canceled due to weather. The forecast is more promising this year with a lineup that taps into the nostalgia of the late '90s and early aughts with crunchy guitars, pop hooks, and memories of black nail polish. Green Day and a reunited Blink-182 are the headliners of a lineup that repeats both days, featuring Thirty Seconds to Mars, the Offspring, Good Charlotte, and dozens more. Roam the Las Vegas Festival Grounds and check out the action on multiple stages while sipping cocktails from the Redemption Rye Revival Bar.

October 21, 28
Downtown, Free
The Downtown Rocks free concert series wraps up another year with three late-October shows at the Fremont Street Experience. Teddy Swims, who scored fame with covers on YouTube before hitting the charts on his own with "Lose Control," performs on the 3rd Street stage on October 21 at 9 pm. Two '90s rock bands team up for a double bill a week later on October 28. See Fastball on the 1st Street stage at 8 pm, followed by the Gin Blossoms at 9:30 pm.  

October 28
Off the Strip, $54 and up for Pink; $39 and up for Ed Sheeran
It's been a busy year for concerts at Allegiant Stadium, and you've got two more to check out in October. First up is Pink, who's extending her "Summer Carnival" tour into the fall with Brandi Carlile and Grouplove on October 7. Then it's "take two" for Ed Sheeran, whose September date was postponed at the last minute due to logistics issues setting up the stage on the stadium floor. Hopefully, this stuff will be figured out by October 28.

October 20–22
The Strip, $33 and up
After losing the World Finals to Dallas last year, Las Vegas gets another chance to welcome the Professional Bull Riders organization with the 2023 Camping World Teams Championship. See three days of competition at the T-Mobile Arena, culminating with championship rounds on Sunday. In between all that bull riding, party outside at Toshiba Plaza with activations, vendors, DJs, and live music by the likes of Tanner Adell, Aiden Canfield, and '80s rockers Warrant. Affiliated events take place off the Strip at the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center.

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