Las Vegas Nightlife Shifts Into High Gear for Formula One Weekend

^{The F1 race takes over the Las Vegas Strip for one weekend in November, so it's only natural that it's going to bring out the biggest and best in the city's nightlife scene. (Photo: Joao Filipe / DPPI Media via Alamy Live News)} 

LAS VEGAS — The Formula One Grand Prix is gearing up for its 3rd annual edition here in Las Vegas, the nightlife industry does well to entertain the wave of big spenders gathering in the city. This event brings out high rollers from all over the world to see the race that travels all along the Strip, and the mega clubs on the Strip will put on their biggest headlining DJs. 

Of course, that comes with a cost: steep ticket prices, longer-than-usual lines, and bottle service prices that might just make your eyes pop out of your head. But the excitement is real, and you never know what celebrities you might encounter at these world-class venues. The artist lineups are stacked with names you rarely see in Vegas, mixed with classic favorites that tourists can never get enough of.

Vegas’s Usual Nightlife Layout

At the large clubs on the Las Vegas Strip, many top DJs rotate between the same venues, especially within the many clubs that TAO Group Hospitality owns at casinos on the Strip:

• Hakkasan Nightclub at MGM Grand
• TAO Nightclub at The Venetian
• Marquee Nightclub at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
• Jewel Nightclub at ARIA
• Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace

These clubs share a roster of major resident artists who perform weekly or monthly only at TAO Group properties including Steve Aoki, Lil Jon, Alesso and a wide variety of other popular hip hop and electronic dance music (EDM) artists.

TAO and Jewel typically host smaller hip-hop or Top 40 DJs. They’re not the most hyped acts this weekend, but worth a mention for anyone who prefers a smaller environment with the vibe of a big nightclub. These two are now the only hip-hop options on the Strip since Drai’s is closed and currently only operates after hours.

Outside of the aforementioned TAO Group venues, you’ve got Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World, LIV Nightclub at Fontainebleau, and XS Nightclub at the Wynn-Encore resort.

The Weekend Starts Early for F1

Unlike most weekends in Vegas, F1 weekend features artists that aren’t in Vegas very often, or who haven’t performed here in years. These DJs will bring out massive crowds compared to someone who’s always headlining on the weekends. Even artists who normally only show up on a packed Friday or Saturday will make appearances on a slower Thursday or Sunday night.

Usually, the only mega clubs open on Thursdays are Omnia, Zouk, and Hakkasan. But this weekend, everything changes since people are flying in earlier for the races. Clubs that keep Thursdays more lowkey are opening with huge headliners.

One of the biggest surprises is Zedd performing on Thursday night at Omnia Nightclub. Normally, Omnia usually opens only the terrace on Thursdays with a smaller guest DJ, so someone as big as Zedd performing a full Thursday nightclub set is rare. As a progressive house icon with massive hits from the early 2010s, this one is 100% worth catching.

Meanwhile, ANYMA is making a big return to the Vegas nightclub scene at Marquee Nightclub on Saturday. He hasn’t performed in the U.S in months, instead opting to headline at jaw-dropping locations like Ibiza and the Great Pyramids of Giza. His last Vegas show was at Sphere Las Vegas on New Years Eve, one of the first times an EDM DJ took the stage at a venue like that. Tickets are $200+ just for entry (which does not include bottle service or drinks), but the demand is real considering there’s no telling when he’ll perform in Vegas again.

Italian house DJ Meduza will perform at Zouk Nightclub Thursday night as well, but he performs here fairly often as a weekend headliner. Seeing him kick things off on a Thursday is another great option for anyone arriving early looking for a party on the north end of the Strip.

Fontainebleau Might Have the Strongest Lineup of the Weekend

While many of the clubs across the Strip have impressive one-off headliners, LIV Las Vegas at the Fontainebleau Hotel and Casino might’ve won F1 weekend outright with a stacked lineup of popular artists. Their lineup includes some popular global favorites in house music along with a legendary returning artist.

On Thursday night the club will host Dom Dolla, an Australian house DJ who is usually a pure Saturday night headliner. Tiësto continues the momentum on Friday, but Saturday is the biggest one of them all. The legendary David Guetta makes his return to LIV after several months of international touring. His last Vegas appearance was at Fontainebleau’s LIV Beach Club earlier this summer for Memorial Day Weekend, so I don’t even want to imagine how long the lines will be. His performance at Fontainebleau on race night is going to be huge to kick off his residency going into next year.

Last and certainly not least on Sunday is John Summit, one of Gen Z’s most-loved progressive house DJs right now. Both his original songs and remixes of pop songs have led him to headline major music festivals like Lollapalooza and Electric Daisy Carnival. This will pull a major crowd on the day where people usually end their Vegas adventures and return to their hometowns.

Top Returning Artists You’ll Always Catch in Vegas

Even though the rare headliners get the spotlight, a lot of visitors will come specifically to see the big-name DJs that dominate popular genres like EDM, pop, and hip-hop. These are the artists who consistently pack rooms, bring big spenders for bottle service, and treat fans to the familiar mixes of music that people expect when they come to Vegas to party.

One of the most recognizable names is DJ Pauly D, who manages to bring that Jersey Shore energy into his sets of reggaeton, hip-hop and EDM. He’ll be performing Friday night at Hakkasan Nightclub. 

On Saturday night at the same club, Steve Aoki headlines Hakkasan’s race afterparty. He’s a must-see for locals and visitors alike, especially those who haven’t gotten to see him throw a cake into the crowd. 

And then there are global giants like The Chainsmokers, who will perform Friday night. The duo has helped to anchor the appeal of XS Nightclub at the Wynn with their mix of pop and EDM hits that go back all the way to 2014 with their song “#Selfie.”

There’s no shortage of artists who will also be headlining race-week music events across the city, like Loud Luxury, Martin Garrix, Fisher, and Tyga, all performing at various venues throughout the weekend. TAO Group Hospitality has a full lineup of all their articles and dates on their website.

Even though these artists perform in Vegas regularly, their sets are popular for a reason. Those Top-40 sets give something to enjoy for every type of tourist and F1 weekend only amplifies that appeal. The club extend hours, open additional rooms, and lean on their popular residency artists to make the whole weekend a success for everyone who wants to attend.

Parties Off the Strip 

If the megaclubs on the Strip become too chaotic or too pricey during F1 weekend, there are still strong off-Strip options.

If Downtown is more your style, Fremont Street is hosting its original Neon City Festival with a wide variety of performers including Deadmau5, Good Charlotte, and Waka Flocka Flame among many others. This event is free, open to all ages, and gives easy access to downtown casinos as well. Compared to other F1 weekend festivities, this one brings a more accessible vibe for anyone looking to avoid the race-weekend congestion of the Strip. 

Golden Gate Casino on Fremont Street is getting in on the fun by hosting the official pre-party for the festival. They introduced "The Night Starts Here" promotion in September after removing all their live table games and will be continuing their one-hour open bar party at 6 p.m. every day of the festival.

The Bottled Blonde rooftop lounge across from the Bellagio is hosting a race-week rooftop party the entire weekend starting at 7:30 p.m. and running all through the late night. The venue will offer an open bar, buffets, and many of their house DJs. This is a great option for anyone who wants to be near the Strip and enjoy some entertainment without committing to the rigors of the nightclub experience.

Formula One is one of the biggest annual events that Las Vegas has hosted over the last few years and summons some of the most dynamic nightlife lineups of the year.  Depending on what casino you visit, chances are there’s a race-week event going on that could be worth visiting. Whether you’re chasing DJ sets at a massive nightclub, discovering new artists downtown, there are quite literally endless entertainment options happening across the city all weekend.