Wednesday, November 17, night is a night for networking. You may network on your own or take advantage of an NAI-sponsored event. For all but one of these optional special evening events, there is a fee above the regular registration to cover costs.
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1. Stars of Las Vegas: Planetarium
Las Vegas is best known for its bright lights, gambling, and stars of another sort, but some southern Nevada night sky destinations delight stargazers and amateur astronomers.
The College of Southern Nevada Planetarium is the only public planetarium in southern Nevada. Planetarium staff presents programs to the general public and local schools on a domed screen. The theater features an Evans & Sutherland Digistar 3 hemispheric video projection system that creates virtual realities on the dome that surrounds the audience.
Telescopes at the student observatory on campus will be available for NAI’s viewing, depending on weather conditions. If it is cloudy we will still have our program but it will be in a different format in the dome, so plan to come, rain or shine.
Our group will be introduced to the site and its public and school programs by a staff astronomer. Then we will watch the planetarium show, Cowboy Astronomer, narrated by cowboy poet Baxter Black as he investigates the night sky. Our sky tour will pause at selected constellations as we hear the stories behind those constellations from a mixture of modern and Native American sky lore.
Cost: $20
Time: 7:00pm–9:30pm
Meals Included: None
Accessibility: Fully ADA Accessible
Suggested Gear: Jacket, Comfortable Shoes
Maximum Number of Participants: 25
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2. The History of Glitz and Glamour
Experience the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas. This evening bus and walking tour will take us down the fabulous Strip and to Fremont Street in an air conditioned motor coach.
We will see the fountains of Bellagio, a vast, choreographed water feature with performances set to light and music.
Brilliance abounds inside the Bellagio’s breathtaking Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. The attention to detail is astounding and the passionate display of nature in all its awe-evoking glory—quite simply, it is a sensational world.
Downtown used to be the hub of Las Vegas, with the train depot, movie theaters, restaurants, shopping, lumber stores, and homes; it was all centered around downtown. Today many people go downtown for the Fremont Street Experience (FSE).
The FSE is a pedestrian mall attraction, 90-feet-high barrel vault canopy four blocks long. While Las Vegas is known for never turning off the outside casino lights, each FSE show begins by turning off the lights on all of the buildings, including the casinos, under the canopy.
You will delight in the glitz and glamour as you learn the history and behind-the-scenes stories about Las Vegas.
Cost: $65
Time: 7:30pm–10:30pm
Meals Included: Light Snacks
Accessibility: There may be stairs or prolonged periods of standing.
Suggested Gear: Jacket, Comfortable Shoes
Maximum Number of Participants: 50
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3. Dinner Cruise Aboard the Desert Princess
Experience the solitude of southern Nevada when we visit Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in the northern hemisphere, at 110 miles long. What we will notice here is very different from lakes in other parts of the country; Lake Mead is surrounded by desert.
The majesty of Hoover Dam and the spectacular Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, considered the longest concrete-steel composite arch bridge in the country, will delight us as we board the Desert Princess, a Mississippi River-style paddlewheeler for our dinner cruise of Lake Mead. Seating for dinner may be on either deck, where the gracious crew will take our orders for freshly prepared entrees from their on-board galley.
Desert stargazing is the only highlight more magnificent than the Hoover Dam, which is lit at night! The friendly captain welcomes passengers to the pilot house for outstanding photo opportunities and even a chance to drive the boat! A National Park Service interpreter will be on board to narrate the trip for us from the pilot house so we have a generous helping of natural and cultural history along with our sumptuous dinner.
Cost: $75
Time: 5:15pm–9:30pm
Meals Included: Dinner
Accessibility: Accessible; top deck accessed by stairs only.
Suggested Gear: Jacket, Comfortable Shoes
Maximum Number of Participants: 70
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4. Superstars of Interpretation
Are you quick at developing themes? Creative on the fly? Ready to take on a challenge? Are you a Superstar of Interpretation? We’ve got the opportunity for you! Join us for the improv interpretation challenge. Interpreters, alone or in pairs, will compete to win the coveted Superstar trophy.
Competitors will have one hour to take their “secret subject,” develop a theme, and present a five-minute interpretive program to an audience of peers and the dreaded judges. (Think “Dancing with the Stars” or “American Idol”—only for interpreters.) The winners will be based on a combined score from audience votes and judge points.
Each individual or team will receive their “secret subject,” pulled from a hat, with options for natural, cultural, historical or zoological topics. The interpreters will then have one hour—no more/no less—to raid the props trunk, peruse the back-up materials, or surf the web—whatever it takes to pull together a five-minute interpretive program.
You’ll present the program to the audience and three judges. Judges will award points, the audience will vote, and the winners will be crowned the Superstars of Interpretation. We’ll be taping the show and winners will get their moment in the spotlight as we show the best at a general session.
If you’re brave enough to take the challenge, sign up for the competition. If you’re not, join us to cheer on the competitors and contribute to the audience vote count. (You just can’t trust those judges to get it right.) There will be six teams – first come, first served. (Sign up now by e-mail to vortexarts@comcast.net.)
Cost: Included in registration fee
Time: 7:30pm–9:30pm (5:30pm for contestants)
Meals Included: None
Travel Time: Held at conference facilities
Accessibility: Accessible
Suggested Gear: N/A
The exhibit hall will highlight more than 100 of the most innovative and dynamic interpretive companies and organizations in North America. Interpretive professionals will be on hand to discuss the latest interactive exhibit, sign project, or museum makeover. Exhibitors will be eager to answer questions and connect you with the information you need.
