If it seems to you like there’s no limit to the volume of mega-sized concerts and entertainment events wedged in and around the Las Vegas Strip during the annual Mexican Independence Day weekend celebration, you’re not alone. As far as we can see, this phenomenon gets bigger every year. Sid Greenfeig concurs with our take—and as senior vice president of concerts for Live Nation Las Vegas, putting it all together is a big part of his job.

“Whenever we get to this time of the year, I look at my wife and say, ‘Let’s reconnect in October, because I’m going to be at work,’” Greenfeig jokes. “We work diligently in booking this weekend pretty far out in advance, and a lot of these artists are heritage acts, someone like Alejandro Fernández who’s been here the last 22 years performing in the city. When you start talking about future years, it’s almost become a tent pole for these artists on their tours. It’s a tradition that we’ve continued to develop and grow.”

Live Nation alone is responsible for 37 Latin music and comedy shows taking place in Las Vegas in the days surrounding the September 16 holiday, including Fernández’s concerts at MGM Grand Garden Arena (Sep. 14-15), the Los Bukis residency shows at Dolby Live (Sep. 13, 14, 18, 20 & 21), Banda MS at Michelob Ultra Arena (Sep. 13), Fuerza Regida at T-Mobile Arena (Sep. 15) and Cuco at Brooklyn Bowl (Sep. 14).

Other major concerts this weekend include Lucero & Mijares at Resorts World Theatre (Sep. 13), Grupo Duelo at the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas (Sep. 13), the Rumbazo Festival at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (Sep. 13-14) and Carin Leon at Michelob Ultra Arena (Sep. 14).

As Latin music has taken over the global charts in recent years, more up-and-coming and major Latin artists have visited Las Vegas at other times of year, Greenfeig notes. But like country music during rodeo week in December, Latin sounds are omnipresent in September, and this year’s lineup is bolstered by more than legacy artists like Los Bukis, Grupo Firme, Emmanuel and Gloria Trevi. Peso Pluma, arguably the biggest name in regional Mexican music right now, makes a tour stop at T-Mobile Arena on September 13.

“The arrival of an artist like Peso Pluma ... helps bring a younger fan base to continue this tradition,” Greenfeig says. “It’s fantastic to see the evolution of what used to be the same acts growing and changing and giving fans options that run the gamut.

“To have Los Bukis here [this weekend] is also really special. They are basically the Beatles of Mexican music and for all of us to believe we can maintain and grow and create this first-ever Latin-speaking residency, it’s massive. And the guys love the experience here, and it’s definitely opening doors for other artists.”

For many years, celebrating this holiday in Las Vegas revolved around Mexican and other tourists coming to town to enjoy entertainment along with a major boxing event. That’s happening again with Canelo Álvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga at T-Mobile, plus the UFC 306 event at Sphere (see page 42), both on September 14. 

But it feels like music may have overtaken sports as the primary attraction during this annual celebration on the Strip.

“I think it can be compared to other big Vegas weekends, but what makes it unique is there are not many cities in the U.S. I can think of where you can have 15-20 shows in the span of three days,” Greenfeig says. “I can’t think of any other market that can support that, plus these are high dollar values. You have Canelo fighting, UFC getting behind this at Sphere and hundreds of thousands of fans in town.

“It’s amazing how this city can handle what it does on a week-to-week basis and then to have over 100,000 fans pouring into this city with that commonality to see Latin music and heritage and fighters and just be part of the celebration.”

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