Does anybody know the best day of week / time of day to catch the best street performers out at Fremont St? Instinct says Friday or Saturday, unsure on what time of day, but figured I'd reach out to to the sages and experts on this forum for help.

I'm going to Vegas for 3 days with 3 people who have never been (this will be my ~12th time) and figured a quick trip to Fremont St wouldn't be the worst use of time. One of the best street magic shows I have ever seen was there, years later that performance is still burned into my memory. The guy cut a card out of an unpeeled tangerine that was marked/drawn on in permanent marker by an audience member. Pretty wild.

While on the subject, I'm open to recommendations in the Fremont St area if you got 'em! I've been to the container park a few times and Pizza Rock but that's about it.

Thanks in advance!!

I used to like Fremont but it’s all trash now. Homeless guys pretending to be street performers by holding up signs that say “F*** you!” and drugged out nasty women dressed up like wannabe showgirls. It smells like crap there, the entertainment is garbage, and they stripped it of all its old Vegas charm to replace it with cheap tacky nonsense.

So to answer your question, I’d say no time is the best time.

heartbreaking to hear but I appreciate the honesty

We're staying at the Cosmo. Things I had in mind so far were:

-Secret Pizza & Grimaldi's (they're big pizza fans, open to pizza recs honestly)
-Skyfall Lounge (if it's open by then...)
-Marquee Day Club (get a cabana/chill for the afternoon)
-Mon Ami Gabi for breakfast
-Wynn Lake of Dreams / walk around Wynn/Encore/Venetian
-Bellagio Atrium
-Degen games craps/baccarat/roulette/BJ in small doses
-Get one of those Fat Tuesday yard drinks

Don't know what else to do I guess you gotta leave unplanned time for just moseying around.

Open to ideas/suggestions!! Big window of time opened up if Fremont is out..

Please don’t let my opinion of the place sway your decision to go or not. I can be pretty critical and what I find unenjoyable may be fun for someone else. There is something to be said for people watching on Fremont. I would just temper your expectations and let your guests know they’ll be experiencing an eclectic and unusual bunch of people if they choose to go.

Here's a video, not mine, from about a month ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfIg1esya0w
There's a pretty solid tigerking at the 31:35 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZIlAExvneo

I am sorry to say that Fremont Street is seldom worth a trip, the entertainers are largely untalented and nothing like there used to be.

I'd give it about 1/2 hour stop, during the daytime, if one feels compelled to visit .

That said, I would give a pizza rec for Esther's Kitchen, which is in the vicinity of downtown.

Wow. I wouldn't pay attention to any of the posts in this thread.

Go to the Fremont Street Experience. Enjoy yourself. Have a good time.

Friday & Saturday nights are naturally the most crowded, and the people and crowds are part of the Experience.

Haven't been in quite a while, but I always found the street performers to be best after the official entertainment on the stage(s) ends. I've seen some amazing cello players and a found-object percussionist who was really good.

Daytime def seems to be more "people with a vague costume wander around hoping to get tips for being in pictures" stuff, ime.

OK, I'll retract my comment with respect to the cello player. The guy I saw was really is good. I've spoken with him between his times playing. He has a strong background, although I forget where he studied.

Buy him a beer from Hennesey at the corner by LVBlvd

I'll say it again... Circa NEEDS a poker room.

I'll join the above poster who says Fremont is still worth hitting up. I've gone to Vegas 2-4 times a year for 15 years, and nearly every trip includes a trip downtown. Great people watching, and you usually run into a couple of impressive performers.

Hey_Porter,

I did once see Dolly performing at the Golden Nugget. That was impressive.

I also once saw Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras performing at Mandalay Bay instead of sitting in a $1-2 NL game.... which was unplanned, but impressive.

Las Vegas generally, and not just Fremont, presents opportunities to see impressive performers t unexpected times.

Absolutely grateful for all the replies!

-[x] 1800GAMBLER, your video was on point, much appreciated. Seeing it vividly like that inclines me to go for a visit, that was great quality footage for filming lights at night
-the nay-sayers, I understand your sentiment and instinctively lean that way somewhat myself, definitely when in contrast to the Strip it's less bougie but I think for Vegas first-timers it would be worthwhile for perspective
-to the yae-sayers, the extra nudge is appreciated. After the stage shows end, noted. At night > day, noted (makes sense)
-Esther's Kitchen for pizza, noted

This forum never disappoints. Thanks y'all !!

+1 to still going downtown. I've been like 15-20 times and still go downtown to watch the bands and random entertainers.

Oh! For those who talked about the ciello player, it may have been Alex Rivers.

His YouTube: Alex Rivers Music

His insta: alexriversmusic

I saw him in Seattle but I saw that he travels and spent some time in Vegas.

Also thanks grando, ya I'm pretty set on dragging the group there even if they don't enjoy it thinking of going to the sports book at Circa, catching at least one of the hourly shows at FSE, couple others... it'll figure itself out (but still open to recommendations)

Thinking of taking everyone to Lotus of Siam as well... man, if the trip warrants it I'll make a TR

You can catch me playing guitar (classic rock/punk/metal) on the Strip at the Flamingo intersection. There are also Harmonica and Saxophone players and a Karaoke singer that frequent this area.

Fremont St and East Fremont are definitely worth checking out at least once. You'll find percussionists and freestyle rappers and a variety of other performers.

Actually, that is not the same musician. The guy I saw was taller, definitely skinnier and long hair. He definitely was well-taught, some West Coast music department at some university, I just don't recall which school or his name. If I see him net time, I'll ask.

Looks like Lotus of Siam has opened a second location away from Commercial Center on Sahara, I drove by one in a new , modern restaurant location on Flamingo.

This is random and overgeneralized since all I read was "metal," but you ever hang out at Vamp'd and know that crowd? 5-6 years ago I was decent friends with some Vegas performers who hung out there (Adele from the old Linq Party Pit, this guy, I think his name was Zack, who played guitar in Rock of Ages). It was like a time machine to the 80s rock scene.

That's cool man. Heard of it but never been to Vampd. My hangouts were the Joint at Hard Rock, House of Blues at MB, and LVCC downtown. Hopefully live music gets the green light again soon.

Fremont - just make sure to go when the Fremont Street light show is running. I like to go down around dinner, grab a bite at Hash House A Go Go, roll around for a while and finish the night back on the strip.

Quick? LOL Fremont/East Fremont and the Arts District are the best parts of Vegas.

As far as places to go, I'd start with Downtown Cocktail Room https://www.downtowncocktailroom.com/. Their happy hour EVERYTHING is half off. Even the expensive stuff.

Never heard of Downtown Cocktail Room but damn, look at those reviews! Solid, if we make it to Fremont we'll for sure go there. Prime location too.

And ya would def go at night for the Fremont Street Experience, just really hoping to catch some street performers but that's beyond my control

It’s not Fremont but it’s hilarious! I’ve seen similar cone tricks but the victim’s face when he looks at the camera combined with the smooth, almost lazy, moves of the vendor make this great.

half drunk browsing the wild and varied corners of the internet I go to,

as soon as I saw that I IMMEDIATELY knew I had to post it here