Holiday Huzzahs

There’s no doubt the Las Vegas Strip is one of the most festive places you can be during the holiday season, but there is only a handful of popular production shows that go that extra mile and introduce a little extra magic this time of year. Tournament of Kings is one that stands out. The stalwart family-friendly show at Excalibur transformed into Twas the Knight, a holiday dinner show, just before Thanksgiving and continues to make merry through Dec. 27. The 900-seat equestrian arena becomes a winter wonderland and the traditional Cornish game hen feast gets some festive spice as well. But no snowfall can stop the battle for honor; the jousting and sword fighting must go on.

All The Vegas: Eric Jordan Young

“It’s so cool. It’s so much fun to do and being in that iconic space, Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace is unbelievable. It’s just a really good time and I’m having fun. It’s one of those opportunities when somebody hands you a piece of paper and says, ‘OK, just go with it,’ and producers Keith Thompson and Philip Fortenberry just rocked it and were nice enough to trust me with the material. I’m just running with it. Great music, great people, great drinks.”

Catch the full conversation with Eric Jordan Young, one of the stars of The Cocktail Cabaret at Cleopatra’s Barge, at allthevegas.com.

Around the Strip

Global superstars stormed the Strip for the 19th annual Latin Grammy Awards, broadcast live around the world from the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Nov. 15. Performances by Marc Anthony, Will Smith, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Steve Aoki, Maná, Halsey and many more set the stage on fire, with Uruguayan artist Jorge Drexler taking home the song and record of the year awards for his smash “Telefonía.” The official afterparty was held at Hakkasan at MGM Grand, but an equally big bash was held earlier at the Palms, where Rolling Stone hosted nominees and celebs for a soiree launching its new Rolling Stone Latin.

Travis Barker

Travis Barker

Blink-182 wrapped up its residency at The Pearl at Palms the same weekend drummer Travis Barker celebrated his 43rd birthday at Hyde Bellagio with bandmate Matt Skiba and others. Barker was also spotted the next night jumping onstage with The Chainsmokers at XS Nightclub at Encore.

Kelly Clarkson was in town recently to celebrate a friend’s birthday and stopped for dinner at Beauty & Essex at Cosmopolitan.

Absinthe announced a New Year’s Eve alternative, a party package including tickets to the show at 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 plus access to an exclusive party in the Caesars Palace courtyard until 1 a.m. featuring an open bar, DJ and great views of Strip fireworks. She didn’t get a countdown and fireworks, but The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco did get to hang backstage with the Gazillionaire after catching Absinthe recently.

Brock Radke is an award-winning entertainment reporter who has been covering the city since 2000, and interviews key movers and shakers on his All The Vegas podcast, available at allthevegas.com