Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas

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You can visit the website for more information on show times, shows, live acts, and technical information so I'll tell you what I "experienced on Freemont Street."

Freemont Street is one street that is mainly enclosed under a large dome-like structure that is called Viva Vision. Viva Vision - is a huge overhead screen that projects mini-musical ensembles and a feast of colour and spledor for the eyes. Its a visual delight. Have you ever been to a planetarium? It's kind of like that but with a lot more razzle dazzle and you're standing as opposed to seated. Each mini-musical is different and lasts about 10 minutes. They usually show every hour on the hour after dusk. You'll know when a show is coming on because all of the lights from the hotels and vendors suddenly go off and you're left wondering if there is a power blackout. But all of a sudden the music and lights overhead boom on and everyone stops to watch. (This is where pickpockets may be lurking so just be cautious).

Taking photos of it is like taking pictures of the Grand Canyon - easy to do and great for memories but hard to capture the actual experience of being there. The overhead shows we seen were all family-friendly. Since the dome covers the whole part of the experience there really isn't a bad spot in which to see it from. Wherever you're standing will do just fine. And best of all - it's free!

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When we ventured to Fremont Street, it was specifically to experience the Light and Music show [which I had seen 15 years ago when it was first introduced in Vegas. Mickey had never seen it. What is it? The Fremont Street Experience entails the use of the world's largest LED screen that spans the length of five football fields and covers a huge amount of Fremont Street at Las Vegas Boulevard in the downtown portion of Las Vegas. There are shows nightly, and, believe it or not, they are free! It's quite a spectacular event that mesmerizes the crowds who sing along to the music and stare upward at the fascinating lights that create strange and beautiful shapes and designs. See the two photographs.

It certainly is more sophisticated than it was when I observed it in 1996.

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The Fremont Street experience is just what it say's on the tin, an experience. We had a really nice time at Fremont Street. The light show is really good and the Queen tribute had people dancing in the street. There was a live band playing which encouraged people to take part and various stalls and shops selling all sorts of different things.
A good place to view the show if you can get a seat is The Vue. It is a bar above one of the casinos at the start of Fremont Street. The beer was not bad either at $1. Another freebie not to miss.

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It's something new, the show performed in the ceiling upon Fremont Street.

Discreet publicity to Vegas and the American way of life, mixed with some national symbols, were the themes of the two spots we saw. But I guess that there's a reasonable variety for all tastes.

Of course, being in Las Vegas it would be a "crime" loosing that show, that takes place in the street, several times each night and... is free.

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Fremont Street is where Las Vegas oldest casinos are. It's interesting to feel the "retro" vibe while walking and seeing how it's all about the little things like the signs or the costumes, compared to the casinos on The Strip.

The street is indoors and has a roof where light shows are done everyday, on the hour, for free. They promote themselves of having "the biggest big screen on the planet". The light shows are free, about 5-6 minutes long, with good sound and resolution, and that's the one time where everyone simply stops what they're doing and look up. The day we were there, we had the chance to see a Queen and a Kiss tribute.

I gotta say that for Queen there were only 2 songs performed, "We will rock you" and "We are the champions" (with pictures of soldiers, firefighters, nurses, doctors and everyone who makes the US a good country) and when they were done I was left asking for more. For
Kiss, it was "Shout it out loud", "Lick it up" and "Rock and roll all night".

Between shows, we saw this street artist painting a portrait (picture 4) with spray paint instead of the usual oil or water colors. It was entertaining to see him paint one of the people from the street.

See the schedules on the Viva Vision page.

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Located in downtown Las Vegas, Fremont is an area lined with souvenir shops, bars restaurants and older casinos some of the first casinos that made Las Vegas famous; Binions, Golden Nugget Four Queens, and The Fremont.

Fremont Street also has the largest LED Screen in the world wich takes in over 3 blocks. The screen shows a 6-minute light and music show every hour until 12 midnight daily.

Okay, you are in Las Vegas and you want something that will help relax and have that feel good, glad I came here touch. Then look no further than downtown Las Vegas on Fremont Street. High above the street, which is closed off from dusk till midnight, nightly, will be the Viva Vision "Fremont Street Experience". What is it. Well it is a light, music, and display show of cartoon, real life, and dancers. Each show lasts about 6 minutes and is shown on the world's largest screen at 1,500 feet in length. Over 12 million synchronized LED lamps with strobe lights and robotic mirrors fill the overhead arched screen with color and sound that is seen from the blocked off 4 blocks of Fremont Street.

The best part is that it is free. Bring everyone in your family to stand out on the pedestrian only street and look up for an exciting 6 minutes. Shows come up about every 15 minutes and they are rotated to give a different look each time the lights come up. Parking is in the downtown casinos large parking structures, so walking is not a problem. Parking may cost money at some structures, but look for a free parking validation booth. Join the throngs of locals and tourists alike for this spectacular display. See my short video of the "Fremont Street Experience"

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Fremont Street is old Vegas, downtown. This is where it all started - The Plaza, The Golden Nugget, The Four Queens, Binion's..... you can still see a lot of the original neon glitz that is Las Vegas downtown.

This is a fun place to take the kids in Vegas, especially after dark so they can really enjoy the 4-block long overhead light and sound show. You will also find street performers and usually outdoor concerts at the Fremont Street Experience as well.

Prices are so much more reasonable here than they are on the Strip! A $8 drink from the Fitz is $24 at Harrah's, for the exact same thing! Food is a lot cheaper too, as are souvenirs.

To get here from the Strip, hop on the north-bound Deuce bus and get off at Fremont Street. The Deuce runs 24/7, so you don't need to worry about what time you head back to your hotel room!