Fall in Las Vegas. When the air starts feeling lighter and you can relax outside again.
This fall checklist is for Las Vegas locals, with three kinds of fall to-dos in one place. What’s happening (some of the best events of the year, all benefitting Opportunity Village), what to clear out before the holidays, and a few Las Vegas things to do now that the heat is lifting.
Mark Your Calendar for OV’s Fall Events
These four events are Opportunity Village’s own. Attending any of them directly supports our programs, helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities here in Southern Nevada.
HallOVeen
A cemetery of illuminated trees, friendly witches and ghosts, trick-or-treat stations, a 50-foot avalanche slide, and even a beer garden for the 21+ crowd on select nights — HallOVeen at the Magical Forest is back for its 13th year.
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It’s a family-friendly Halloween festival where skeletons, pumpkins, and jack-o-lanterns fill our 2.5-acre outdoor theme park at Opportunity Village’s Smith Family Campus.
The venue is wheelchair accessible, with a limited number of wheelchairs available on-site (bring an ID for the box office).
Camelot at the Magical Forest
The Las Vegas Review-Journal called it the grandest gala of the year. The 35th annual Camelot — Opportunity Village’s signature black-tie fundraising evening — takes place November 12 at Camelot Hall, with cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner, a live auction, and entertainment to follow.
If you’ve ever wanted to attend, tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now.
Magical Forest
Magical Forest is one of Las Vegas’s longest-running holiday traditions: a 2.5-acre outdoor experience at the Smith Family Campus with millions of lights, rides, Santa visits and nightly entertainment. For many locals, it goes onto the family calendar every year without anyone having to ask.
Dates this year run November 27-29, December 3-6, December 10-24, and December 26 through January 1. Hours are 5:30–9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Sign up to our newsletter to snap up tickets once they’re live — evenings in mid-December tend to fill quickly.
Las Vegas Great Santa Run
As fall turns to the holidays, this event officially kicks off the season.
Thousands of Santas. One Las Vegas December morning. The 22nd annual Las Vegas Great Santa Run takes place December 5 at the Magical Forest.
Choose a 5K run or a one-mile walk, both starting and finishing at Opportunity Village’s Magical Forest. Every registration includes a five-piece Santa suit (traditional red or OV blue), a finisher medal, and a swag bag.
It’s open to all ages, and it’s stroller, wheelchair, walker and pet friendly. The earlier you register, the cheaper it is — so if you know you’re in, get in early.
Clear Your Space Before the Holidays
Fall is when a lot of us start thinking about what’s taking up space (before guests arrive and new things come in). We can help with that.
Donate to The Opportunity Village Thrift Store
Clothing, furniture, household goods; if it’s gently used and you’re ready to pass it on, The Opportunity Village Thrift Store is a good place for it to go. Donated goods support our programs directly, and the store itself is a working retail training site for the people Opportunity Village serves. There are two drop-off locations in the Las Vegas Valley.
Thrift Store: 324 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107
Donation Site at The Crossing Church: 7950 W. Windmill Ln., Las Vegas, NV 89113
Donation phone: 702-383-5911
Shred Old Paperwork at Paper Pros
Old bank statements, utility bills, medical paperwork, expired insurance documents, or sensitive information from your business. Fall is a natural time to deal with it all. The tax year is winding down, the holidays are coming and clearing that space feels good.
The problem is that most of it has your personal information on it, which means the kitchen trash can isn’t the right answer. And if it’s confidential business papers, your reputation is on the line too. That’s where we come in. Paper Pros is our secure shredding service and we accept walk-in drop-offs. No appointment needed, just bring what you’ve got.
Like the thrift store, Paper Pros is a working program, so the people securely handling your documents are building their careers and independence.
Get Into the Season With A Few More Las Vegas Fall Ideas
We do things our way here in Vegas. Even fall. There are no leaves changing on the street and no frost on the windshield.
What there is: a collective exhale as the heat lifts and the air feels lighter again, and the return of all the outdoor living that gets almost abandoned from June to September.
Bring the patio back. Most Vegas households either store or simply abandon their outdoor furniture during summer. Nobody sits outside in 110-degree heat. October is when your chairs come back out.
Eat outside. October highs average around 80°F; evenings drop to the 60s. Fall is when Las Vegas restaurant patios fill with people who live here, not just visitors. Time for a coffee at your local coffee shop after enjoying your favorite walking trail again.
First Friday in the Arts District. The first Friday of every month, Downtown Las Vegas’ Arts District hosts a free outdoor event with art, food vendors, live music, and a walkable neighbourhood that looks and feels completely different from the Strip. Fall evenings start to buzz again. No tickets or reservations. Just show up.
Take a drive to Red Rock Canyon. The 13-mile scenic loop through Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is fully accessible by car. No hiking required (unless someone in your crew really wants to). You’ll just need a timed entry reservation, which you can book ahead at recreation.gov.
October and November are prime months weatherwise, and the desert light at that time of year is striking. If you want to get out of the car, the Calico Basin Red Spring Interpretive Trail has a boardwalk that’s flat, shaded and accessible.
Drive up to Mt. Charleston. From late September through mid-October, the aspen trees turn gold. Marvel at patches of soft butter and burnt orange against dark green pine, the closest thing Southern Nevada has to fall foliage.
It’s about 50 minutes from the valley and can be enjoyed entirely as a scenic drive. If you’re up for some hiking, the Raintree Trail is a forested trail home to a huge 3,000-year-old bristlecone pine tree.
Fall comes at you fast here. There’s a short window between “still too hot” and “holiday season fully underway.” Mark the events you want to attend, schedule your drop-off for the thrift store, and spend a few fun evenings outside while the weather is this good.
For even more family fun, check out Opportunity Village’s full event calendar.
