Home + History Las Vegas Returns for 11th Year This April

Vintage Boulevard Mall

Vegas History Comes Alive This Spring

Las Vegas isn‘t just about the bright lights and casinos – there’s a whole other side to our city that most people never get to see. The Home + History Las Vegas festival is back for its 11th year this April, and honestly, it's one of my favorite ways to discover the stories behind the neighborhoods we drive through every day. Running April 16-19, this year‘s lineup has some seriously cool experiences that’ll change how you see Southern Nevada.

The Nevada Preservation Foundation puts together more than 35 curated experiences that go way beyond your typical walking tour. We're talking everything from sipping cocktails in a 1930s garden to exploring the legendary Howard Hughes “Green House” that‘s been frozen in time since 1954. Dr. Paige Figanbaum, the foundation’s executive director, explained that preservation isn‘t just about saving old buildings – it’s about understanding the people and stories that shaped our city.

New Experiences You Won't Find Anywhere Else

This year brings some genuinely unique adventures. The “Bootleggers in the Garden” kicks things off on April 15 with a Prohibition-style party featuring food from James Beard Award Semifinalist Chef James Trees and craft cocktails from Jonah Gibbs of Bar Boheme. The location is secret, which makes it even more intriguing.

But here's what really caught my attention – the Howard Hughes “Green House” tours. Hughes closed this property in 1954 and just left everything behind. You might recognize it from the movie Casino, and now you can actually walk through it. That's the kind of rare access that makes this festival special.

The “1984: Revenge of the Yuppies” party at a private clubhouse overlooking the Strip sounds like a blast, complete with Salty Dogs and early-80s music. And who doesn't want to take a nostalgic mall walk through Boulevard Mall, Nevada‘s first climate-controlled shopping center? They’re even encouraging mall-era fashion, which could be hilarious.

Local Favorites Return Too

Don't worry – all the popular tours are coming back. The Scotch 80s walking tour remains a favorite for good reason – that neighborhood is full of architectural gems and fascinating stories. The Coffee & Cruising Bike Tour takes you through downtown's transformation, while the Henderson Historic Bus Tour gets you behind-the-gates access to the original Basic Magnesium plant that basically built Henderson.

The Vintage Vegas Home Tour is always a highlight, featuring homes from different eras plus a stop at the historic Mesquite Club from 1911. These aren‘t just pretty houses – each one tells part of Las Vegas’s evolution from a small desert town to the city we know today.

Rare Access: Howard Hughes “Green House”

Worth Your Weekend

What I love about this festival is how it makes history accessible and fun. Whether you‘re a longtime local or someone who wants to understand Vegas beyond the tourist spots, these experiences offer genuine insights into how our community developed. Plus, many of these locations aren’t normally open to the public, so it's your chance to see spaces that are usually off-limits.

Tickets start at $35 and you can browse the complete schedule at the Nevada Preservation Foundation website. With everything from educational workshops to cocktail parties in historic settings, there‘s definitely something that’ll catch your interest. Trust me, after attending one of these events, you'll never look at Las Vegas the same way again.