What to See and Do in Las Vegas in September

Labor Day is upon us and so is the unofficial end of summer for most of the country. The party never ends in Las Vegas but things do change after the holiday weekend.

Temperatures will cool as the end of the year gets closer but it never gets too chilly in Las Vegas. While some pool parties and dayclubs will begin winding down after Labor Day Weekend, many will continue to operate for at least a few more weeks.

September and early October are some of the best months to enjoy the great outdoors in Las Vegas. Temperatures are still warm enough to spend time by the pool and cool enough to play golf, hike, or enjoy other outdoor activities.

Mexican Independence Day occurs during the middle of the month and there are countless concerts featuring Mexican performers all over town. Traditionally a superstar boxer from Mexico will take the ring in Las Vegas during this weekend. That's the case once again as Canelo Alverez has a fight at T-Mobile Arena. 

Meanwhile, UFC is getting into the holiday spirit with its first MMA card at the Sphere on the same night.

This month also marks the beginning of the regular season in the NFL. Meanwhile, the NHL will drop the puck with a few preseason games at the end of the month.

Las Vegas Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day Weekend in Las Vegas technically begins on Aug. 30 and continues through Sept. 2. This is one of the biggest entertainment weekends of the year in Las Vegas.

There are performers at every entertainment venue from pools to arenas and everywhere in between. Dayclubs are going out with a bang with performances from some of the biggest performers of the year. Here are some highlights:

• Drai’s Beachclub (The Cromwell): Wiz Khalifa (Aug. 31), Moneybagg Yo (Sept. 1) and Waka Flocka Flame (Sept. 2)
• Encore Beach Club (Wynn): The Chainsmokers (Aug. 31) and Gryffin (Sept. 1)
• TAO Beach Dayclub (The Venetian): Timmy Trumpet (Aug. 30), Tiësto (Aug. 31)
• Wet Republic (MGM Grand): Martin Garrix with Justin Mylo (Aug. 31) and Nelly (Sept. 1)

Ayu Dayclub at Resorts World, Liv Dayclub at Fontainebleau, and Marquee Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan will also have performers throughout the weekend.

The nightclubs will also be busy with performances from some of the same performers and more. Hartbeat Weekend will take over Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World all weekend. Lil Wayne, Saweetie, Ludacris, and more will take the stage inside the casino.

The Killers return home to perform at Caesars Palace. (Image: Instagram/colosseumatcp)

Residencies, Limited Engagements and Festivals in September

Since the calendar is front loaded with Labor Day Weekend shows, the rest of September is a little slower than usual for recurring residencies and limited engagements. That’s made up for with a few very different music festivals throughout the month.

• Bruno Mars at Park MGM: Sept. 1
• The Killers at Caesars Palace: Sept. 1
• Nas & Las Vegas Philharmonic at Wynn: Sept. 1
• Shania Twain at Planet Hollywood: Sept. 1, 4, 6, 7
• The Beach Boys at The Venetian: Sept. 4, 6, 7
• Barry Manilow at the Westgate: Sept. 11, 12, 13,18, 19, 20
• The Eagles at Sphere: Sept. 20, 21, 27, 28
• Santana at Mandalay Bay: Sept. 25, 26, 28, 29
• Maroon 5 at ParkMGM: Sept. 27, 28
• Garth Brooks at Caesars Palace: Sept. 26, 28, 29
• Lionel Richie at Wynn: Sept. 18, 21, 25, 27
• Tom Jones at Wynn: Sept. 28, 29
• Wu-Tang Clan at Virgin: Sept. 27, 28

This year is the 10th annual Big Blues Bender music festival at the Westgate from Sept. 5 - 8. Performers include Trombone Shorty, Los Lobos, and Canned Heat. See the full lineup here. 

The iHeartRadio festival returns to T-Mobile Arena from Sept. 20 - 21. The biggest names in pop music will grace the stage in the area for two days of quick performances. Dua Lipa, A$AP Rocky, and The New Kids On The Block are just a few of the performers. Ticket info and full lineup here. 

The Life Is Beautiful Block Party is a reinvention of the downtown Las Vegas music festival. Performers such as Justice and LCD Sound System will take the stage in the Arts District from Sept. 27 - 28. More information on the festival here. 

Lookahead: Maroon 5 returns to Park MGM on Oct. 5.

Other Las Vegas Show News

Sphere continues to announce new events, while others are still in the rumor mill. “V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film” will open on Sept. 5. Tickets for this unique movie experience start at $100 per person. 

Dita Von Teese has relocated to Voltaire inside The Venetian. Her burlesque show begins on Sept. 19 and continues through the end of the year.

Lookahead: The adults-only X-Rocks show is returning to Las Vegas for the first time since closing during the Covid-19 pandemic. The show starts at its new home, Horseshoe, on Oct. 2.

The rest of the world will tune in to see what Canelo Alvarez is doing for Mexican Independence Day in Las Vegas. 

Sports In Las Vegas in September

Combat sports take over the Vegas Strip the same weekend Sin City celebrates Mexican Independence Day. On Sept. 14, UFC 306 - Riyadh Season Noche will take place at the Sphere. Canelo Alvarez will box Edgar Berlanga at T-Mobile Arena on the same night.

The Las Vegas Raiders have two regular season home games this month. They’ll host the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 22 and the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 29.

The Las Vegas Aces regular season will end with three games in Las Vegas this month. The team will take on Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky at T-Mobile Arena on Sept. 3. The final two home games of the regular season will be played at Mandalay Bay on Sept. 15 and 19. The playoffs will begin later this month.

It’s time to drop the puck on a new NHL season! Preseason games begin this month. The Vegas Golden Knights will face the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 25 and the Utah Hockey Club on Sept. 27 at T-Mobile Arena.

New this season: the single wallet feature for the BetMGM app is now available in Las Vegas. New users will still have to set up an account in person. Once the account is set up they will be able to use the same app and wallet in Las Vegas as they do at home.

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New and improved La Cave at the Wynn. (Image: courtesy of the Wynn)

September Food & Dining News

Wynn is opening a Four Sixes pop-up steakhouse at Tableau beginning Sept. 16. The Four Sixes steakhouse will take over the breakfast/lunch restaurant nightly beginning at 5:30 pm.

La Cave at Wynn has reopened after a quick refresh of the restaurant.

Last month there was a rumor that the Bellagio buffet would be closing. MGM Resorts tells the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the buffet will not close and become a food hall. Time will tell if the rumor was true or not but my last few visits to the buffet left plenty to be desired.

Jose Andres’ Bazaar Mar and Bar Centro are now open at Crystals Mall next to Aria.

Lookahead: Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Bar will open soon in the CityCenter shopping plaza between Aria and The Cosmopolitan. He’s saying “fall,” which technically begins Sep. 21, so we should be seeing signs that the place is coming, even if the doors don’t open until December.