April 10
The Artist as Culture Producer
Barrick MuseumSubtitled “Living and Sustaining a Creative Life,” this panel talk — featuring local artists Andreana Donahue, Justin Favela and Wendy Kveck among others — dwells on the artist’s role on the front lines of community development. Inspiringly timely. 7p, free, unlv.edu/barrickmuseum
April 7-8
7th Annual Great Vegas Festival of Beer
East Fremont StreetIt’s beertopia! Five hundred beers! Now expanded to two days. Bottoms up! 7p April 7, 3p April 8, $44-$80, greatvegasbeer.com
April 21-22
The Believer Festival
Various locationsSomething bookish this way comes — an innovative new literary event, featuring an evening of readings in Red Rock Canyon, a clever mock trial (of the American Dream) in the Mob Museum’s historic courtroom, and more at Downtown locations. Guests include Dave Eggers, Heidi Julavits, Carrie Brownstein, Miranda July and more. Big, big. See blackmountaininstitute.org for details.
April 21
Don Rickles
The Smith CenterInto this moment of free-speech skirmishing — campuses roiling over who can say what, the excesses of political correctness as a key spur of Trump support, marches galore — this guy drops like a hockey puck: Don Rickles, undying master of insult humor. Political incorrectness incarnate. How will the post-election cultural context affect his in-your-face shtick? Zing! 7:30p, $35-$129, thesmithcenter.com
April 9
Twilight: LA, 1992
West Las Vegas LibraryAfter the so-called Rodney King riots in 1992, playwright Anna Deavere Smith spent months gathering real quotes related to the event, layering them into a one-woman theatrical investigation of urban anger and America’s racial, class and economic divides, here performed by Maythinee Washington, Desert Companion’s 2017 Best Actress. 2p, free, West Las Vegas Library, lvccld.org