Las Vegas in May: Kentucky Derby, EDC, BTS and a Packed Concert Calendar

^{BTS graces the Allegiant Stadium stage during one of its three sold-out concerts in 2022. (Photo: Allegiant Stadium / X.com)}

May is one of the most fun months in Las Vegas. The first Saturday of the month brings playoff action, the Run for the Roses and boxing. The month ends with a long weekend and the unofficial start of summer.

The Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May. Parties stretch from downtown Las Vegas to the South Point, where the upstairs ballroom fills with horse bettors. Before and after the race, NBA and NHL playoff games, MLB games and boxing round out the day.

That leads into Cinco de Mayo. Parties start on the weekend before the holiday, building to a peak on May 5. Anyone looking for a good time can head to the Fremont Street Experience, where free live entertainment runs all day.

Mid-month, EDM fans descend on Las Vegas for the annual Electric Daisy Carnival. The festival takes place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but fans can catch some of the most popular DJs at casino nightclubs before the main event.

As the month winds down, poker players arrive for six weeks of World Series of Poker events at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. The month culminates with Memorial Day weekend, May May 22-25.

The concert schedule is packed with new and returning limited engagements, residencies and large-scale shows. May is one of the busiest months at Allegiant Stadium, with six shows from two artists representing opposite ends of the globe.

Limited Engagements and Residencies

Mary J. Blige kicks off her first Las Vegas residency at Park MGM on May 1. The show will be a theatrical concert experience that celebrates her iconic career and life. Expect more than a traditional concert.

The Goo Goo Dolls will have their first limited engagement at The Venetian. Fans should expect a more traditional concert from the New York rockers. 

Cyndi Lauper’s first Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace continues as the month begins.

Phish at Sphere: May 1, 2 

Mary J. Blige at Park MGM: May 1, 2, 6, 8, 9

Cyndi Lauper at Caesars Palace: May 1, 2 

Duran Duran at Fontainebleau: May 2, 6, 8, 9

Blake Shelton at Caesars Palace: May 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16, 21, 24

No Doubt at Sphere: May 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16, 21, 23, 24, 27, 29, 30

Barry Manilow at the Westgate: May 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16 

Goo Goo Dolls at The Venetian: May 15, 16, 20, 22, 23

Jonas Brothers at Park MGM: May 20, 22, 23 & 24

Hilary Duff at The Venetian: May 22, 23, 24

Rod Stewart at Caesars Palace: May 27, 29 30

Alice Cooper & Criss Angel at Planet Hollywood: May 22, 23

Look ahead: No Doubt’s residency at the Sphere continues into June. Just as April was ending, Morrissey announced he’s starting his U.S. tour with four concerts at Wynn from Aug. 14-19.

Big Concerts This Month

The May concert calendar is another example of how Allegiant Stadium has helped make Las Vegas a major event destination.

Morgan Wallen, one of the most popular country music performers in the country, kicks off his U.S. tour with two concerts in Las Vegas on May 1-2 like how Bruno Mars did in April.

His shows will be supported by Brooks & Dunn, who were resident artists at Caesars Palace from 2015 to 2021. Gavin Adcock and Vincent Mason will open both concerts.

K-pop group BTS will perform four shows at Allegiant Stadium from May 23-28. Las Vegas will host more concert dates than any of the other 12 cities on the U.S leg of its worldwide tour.

BTS-themed events are planned throughout the city during the group's visit. New fans should expect very long lines for merchandise at Allegiant Stadium. During their last visit to Las Vegas in 2022, fans lined up as early as 2 a.m. for exclusive merchandise.

Last but not least, Demi Lovato’s “It’s Not That Deep Tour” will be at the MGM Grand on May 8.

Electric Daisy Carnival

EDC takes place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from May 15-17. The festival draws about 150,000 attendees per day.

The venue is about 16 miles from the tourist corridors, but festival-goers are easy to spot in the casinos with their extravagant outfits. The festival is a great time for fans, and the casinos offer prime people-watching for everyone else.

Here’s what you should know before visiting Las Vegas for your first EDC.

Free Downtown Rocks Concerts At Fremont Street Experience

The annual free Downtown Rocks concert series returns to the Fremont Street Experience this summer. There’s always free entertainment downtown, but these concerts feature national touring bands. 

The initial batch of free concerts begins on May 15 with a show from Lee Brice. Here are the rest of the announced dates for the summer:

• Saturday, May 30 – Crossfade and Trapt (3rd Street Stage)
• Saturday, June 13 – Fuel (1st Street Stage)
• Saturday, June 27 – Finger 11 (3rd Street Stage)
• Saturday, July 4 – George Birge (3rd Street Stage)
• Saturday, July 11 – Sleeping with Sirens (3rd Street Stage)
• Saturday, Aug. 8 – Mayday Parade (3rd Street Stage)
• Saturday, Aug. 22 – Story of the Year (1st Street Stage)
• Saturday, Oct. 10 – Maggie Lindemann (1st Street Stage)

More shows will be announced as the summer approaches.