Last week I went to check out Lunar New Year Exhibition: Year of the Snake. It was very busy since there was opening reception was going on. I believe there was some friends and families of local artists that also attended the event. That must had been the reason for big crowd and loudness of the area. It did feel overcrowded so we did leave early but I did get to see all the arts in short time. read more

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Annual Tamales and Mariachi festival at First Street school. I just walked to the Bonita Market to buy tamales. The grass is super wet and I've got mud all over my shoes. The City of LV should've placed vendors somewhere else. read more

Historic 5th Street School - Tamales from the Bonita market at the Tamales and Mariachi festival - Cultural Center Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

Went to a book signing. Helpful staff, but it's a maze! Hard to find things. Parking lot nearby.

I like historical stuff so this interested me. It's obviously an old school. People still use it even though it no longer operates as a school. It has several festivals. This is also popular for weddings. Architecture here is incredibly beautiful. It's a classic Spanish mission style with all the arches and bells. There's a huge bell in the courtyard. It's kept up well even though it's been closed as a school for awhile. There has been construction going on here so they're obviously keeping this maintained. It has a small park in the back. This is good to cut through to get to Fremont but watch out for the homeless. It isn't in a great area of the city. This is still pretty safe since it's next to the courthouse. You should at least walk by and look. read more

Historic 5th Street School - Classic Mission Architecture - Cultural Center Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

The Historic 5th Street School Mayor's Gallery is truly phenomenal. It celebrates local artists throughout the year with its many exhibits, not the least of which is the annual Chinese New Year art show. Curator Jeanne Voltura brings out the best artists with amazing pieces and always seems to find new talent. Obviously, there's no shortage of wonderful artwork in Las Vegas, and this gallery shows that. Throughout the year, I'm intrigued to see what new exhibitions will be on display as it never disappoints. Can't wait to go back! read more

Great Piece of Las Vegas History!. This is the oldest and first school in the Las Vegas. I was able experience the interior during a KNPR photo contest awards ceremony last week. The property has been well preserved and updated to modern day building codes set forth by the City and County officials. The exterior is done in a Mission style architecture I believe and is a great example of how the inhabitants of the great City of Las Vegas lived prior to A/C. The back of the space on 4th St contains Centennial Park. This is a small space dedicated by the city in 2005 on its 100 year anniversary. there are no play structures here or grass mostly trees and areas to sit. Unfortunately the local homeless population tend to camp here at night. The most interesting feature about this park is the Art sculpture in the center near the Historic 5th St School. The "Simulacrum" as it is known. This piece of functional art is actually a time capsule and will not be opened until the City of Las Vegas' Bicentennial. Unfortunately none of us will be around to see this but an interesting nugget of knowledge for fellow Yelpers to know. read more

Historic 5th Street School - Cultural Center Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

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Great venue for an event like a wedding! My manager got hitched here last month, and I was impressed with the courtyard where she had the ceremony. Yes it was outside, and started at 530pm, so it was a little warm, sitting under the trees, we were bothered by a few bee's, probably attracted to all the sweet smells of our perfume. Because the courtyard was surrounded on all sides by buildings, we didn't get the benefit of a breeze and even though we could hear a little of the street noise, it wasn't too bad. The reception was moved inside to the gym/auditorium which was huge! There is a stage, great place for the DJ, and a large enough space for dancing. Overall, a historic piece of Las Vegas, that turns out to be a great place for a party! read more

Historic 5th Street School - Fifth street school court yard. - Cultural Center Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

There are few things in Las Vegas that can be called historic, as we have this tendency to blow things up once we tire of them. I have no problem with explosives, but it is nice to have a few historic places, and this is one of them. The school originally opened in 1936 when Vegas was a booming town of 12,000. Now, the venue houses several local arts organizations, and it also serves as a venue for events, many of which are artistic in nature. There is a 5600 square foot auditorium that has the feeling of a nice high school gymnasium. It is perhaps not the most stunning, but it works nicely for lectures and screenings. There is also a gallery adjoining the auditorium. The main draw here is the programming. I have attended several artist talks, a stop motion animation screening, and an arts networking event. I know if I am headed to the Historic 5th Street School I am about to get schooled in something! And, I like that. The school also has several outdoor areas, including a secluded courtyard and an open 16000 square foot plaza. The one minor downside is that this is a resting spot for homeless people in the area. However, I attended the Project Dinner Table at this venue, and it was beautiful. The main attraction for the plaza is a public art piece by Stephen Hendee, "Monument to the Simulacrum." Whenever I drive by with friends I am eager to point out this majestic piece. To me it is a special landmark for Downtown and provides a provoking juxtaposition to the Fremont Experience. There is actually a time capsule buried beneath it! I wish there were a calendar of events happening at the school, but as far as I know, there is not one easily accessible. But, if you get a chance to attend an event here or if you are looking for a venue for an event, definitely check it out and get a taste of a non-imploded historic landmark. read more

Historic 5th Street School - Cultural Center Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

June 24, 2023. I went with my most cultured buddy to the Django concert. The Hot Club, Brad Brose and his Bad Bros started at 6:00 PM and played till around 8:30. Either of the two groups would have been a satisfying evening. Of course the big draw was world renowned guitarist Tommy Emmanuel who doesn't just play; he performs magic tricks with his guitars. After an amazing hour of hundreds of us eating out of his hand, he asked for the leaders of each of the other two bands to join him. The Bad Bro French violinist came out too and they just jammed and jammed until well after 10 o'clock. It was a captured evening, an absolute thrill ! The room was packed and most of those who tried to purchase tickets at the door were turned away. Quelle dommage ! read more

I was at the Historic 5th Street School last night for a concert with KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler sponsored by the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs Office. It was a wonderful event is the small venue. The Cultural Affairs Office prices their shows inexpensively - $10 advance purchase, $15 at the door. It was a wonderful 85 minute show of Cole Porter and music from Broadway. Sullivan and Nadler aren't known outside of NYC as well as they should be. Before shows here, you can check out the art on display in the gallery or look at the wonderful courtyard. The school is always a good place to visit and the auditorium lends itself well to programs like this! read more

Would be 5 stars if it were not for the occasion indigent lurking around making others feel uncomfortable there. Good work by the Marshals who patrol the property, I understand that every person has the right to be there during the day so they can't be kicked out. As long as they're not hurting anyone! The school offers many activities to include child musical instrument lessons. UNLV has a couple rooms there also. No history talk here as Ms. Misti covered it. But one of my favorite events that the 5th street school hosts is Oktoberfest! It is a must attend event every year in October. read more

I've passed by the school a few times during my treks downtown, but I had no idea it was such a hub of cultural activity. I was here for the Django Gypsy Jazz festival. The gallery and courtyard were used as a pre-function / cocktail area and also where we got our tickets. VegasJazz had set up some tables in the gallery with information about the local jazz community. The gallery walls are adorned with some gorgeous artwork - conversation starters for the many people who came to the festival. The auditorium was packed with chairs and dimly light, but this created a very intimate performance. In fact, at the end of the show, all the musicians came out into the audience and did an impromptu jam session, with everyone huddling around them and singing along. I enjoyed this venue very much and would love to come here again. read more

The perfect spot for a wedding! My husband and I were married here a little over a year ago. I've always loved this building and knew it would be perfect for a slightly non-traditional wedding. The staff was beating helpful and made sure we hand plenty of time to set up everything we needed. They made sure that the courtyard was in pristine condition even after a horrid rainstorm the day before. Everything was perfect!!! read more

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We were married at the Historic 5th Street School a few weeks ago and we could not have picked a better venue or asked for a better experience. From the very beginning, Anastacio was friendly, helpful, and beyond wonderful to work with. We chose to have our wedding outside in the courtyard - the combination of the mission-style architecture, the amazing tiled fountain, and the beautifully lit trees was exactly what we had in mind. Anastacio was kind enough to help us find some vendors we loved (check out our review of Masterpiece Catering!) and he even stopped by the reception (we had both the ceremony and dinner on-site) to wish us well. Our guests couldn't say enough great things about the 5th Street School and neither can we. It's a little slice of vintage charm in the middle of downtown Las Vegas and it's close enough to the madness of Fremont Street (though you certainly wouldn't know it while you're in the school) that you can walk to the bars after if you so choose. I highly recommend checking this place out, even if you're not booking an event. It's a piece of the city's history (it was the original Vegas grammar school, serving all of the city's children way back in the 1930s) and it's worth walking around and experiencing in person. read more

Historic 5th Street School - We made the fountain our altar and it was perfect! - Cultural Center Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

It is unfortunate that my fiancé and I will not be booking our 2017 wedding at this venue. One star for the lack of professionalism and communication. We have been in contact with Anastacio since the end of June planning an October 28, 2017 wedding which although it was clear we could not go into contract until exactly 1 year to the day, our correspondences made us assume the probability of receiving at least our back up date was very high. I emailed Anastacio intermittently between July and October 28th to reaffirm our interest in the date. He would reply for us to wait until the 28th of October to check on the date. On October 29th I was informed that the date was taken by another bride. This was fine as I knew we were second on the wait list but I am dissapointed that I was then told that not only was our back up date taken, but so were ALL OTHER DATES IN 2017. He then suggested an entirely different venue to book at which I thought was beyond tacky (almost worse than the myriad of typos in his email). I am dissapointed I was not notified earlier of an event being booked on my back up date as I doubt it occured on the date I emailed him. I have been waiting 4 months to continue to plan my wedding and now I am back to square 1. read more

What a neat little place we have here in downtown Vegas. I had never even heard of it until a few weeks ago. Sitting under the shadow of the uber-modern looking Federal Courthouse, it's quite the juxtaposition. The Historic Fifth Street School feels like a window back in time. I was there today for the final day of the Vegas Valley Book Festival, so I didn't really get a true sense of the history of the buildings. The little courtyards were full of people, book vendor stands, and local chefs cooking up some delicious grub. It's appropriate in a way. It is no longer used as a school, but more as a venue for great events such as the Book Festival. What better way to introduce the people of Las Vegas to what little history we have left? Or maybe we do have plenty of history left in Vegas; we just have to find it. I'm hoping that's the case. read more

We held our wedding at the 5th Street School in July of 2018, and our experience with them and their staff was ABSOLUTELY EXEMPLARY!! The space is beautiful, the staff is AMAZING, and it was the perfect spot for all of our guests to have a marvelous time! So many other venues that we looked at in Vegas were either too far away, too big, too small, too ludicrously laden with ridiculous and unnecessary rules, and almost ALL of them were waaaaaay too EXPENSIVE and riddled with "up charges"! The 5th Street school is the "Goldilocks" location - it's JUST RIGHT! Our contact person Anastacio, and the entire staff, helped us decide which of the many available spaces we would need, helped us plan everything from tables and chairs to stage lighting, walked us through the simple contract and formalities, guided us through insurance and security needs, stayed in constant contact with us, provided us with everything we asked for and would need, and made the entire experience easy... and even enjoyable! Even on the morning of our wedding...when some "out of our control police activity" nearby looked like it was going to potentially DELAY our event (Yikes!!?!?!?), Anastacio and staff jumped to action like super-hero's. They put a smile on their faces, kept us all calm, and helped us find ways to "work around" the issue (literally). Our wedding went off without a hitch, on time, everyone had a BLAST, and was the event of our dreams! Thank you Anastacio and staff of the 5th Street School!!!! - Gary Kilmer read more

Excellent venue for my sons wedding in downtown area. Staff was readily available and super helpful. Very cool location for ceremony and reception! read more

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Amazing night tonight at the Historic Fifth Street School as Congresswoman Dina Titus and Mayor Carolyn Goodman opened one of the world's largest book festivals at your downtown school - The VEGAS VALLEY Book Festival. Warm, intellectual, professional, all the international authors, journalists and publishers were a wonder to meet. I felt star struck with all the great talent around me. Inspired to write. Inspired to read. I look forward to returning to the Historic Fifth Street School tomorrow for the Vegas Valley Book Festival in the morning. read more

My husband and I wanted to get married in downtown Las Vegas as we are locals (I'm a native) who met downtown, socialize downtown and love downtown. But we did not want to get married in a casino. That's when we discovered you could rent spaces at the Historic Fifth Street School! It was perfect for the unique vision we had for our wedding. We rented both the beautiful courtyard where we held our ceremony and the Art Gallery where our reception followed. It was inexpensive compared with your typical wedding hall and we got the venue from 9am to 10pm. The 1930s Mission style architecture was the perfect backdrop for our romantic wedding and the photos are GORGEOUS. There was ample free parking for our 65 guests. There was plenty of space for our food and bar caterer and DJ. We even had local band Rusty Maples perform. All they had to do was bring in a small PA system and it was plenty loud to fill the gallery space. All our guests remarked on how beautiful the school was and what a delightful choice it was for our wedding. The City of Las Vegas Cultural Affairs Office was a joy to work with in renting, scheduling, and giving us access to the school in the weeks leading up to the wedding for set up strategy and ceremony rehearsal. If you can possibly work with Bess Shelton, she's an absolute doll. If you are looking for an offbeat, beautiful, historic wedding venue, you've found it! read more

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I was here for a wedding, but only got to experience the courtyard and bathrooms, haha. I have driven by this place a hundred times and never knew it was there. A very cute little place in the heart of downtown Las Vegas. Gorgeous venue for an outside wedding for sure. Parking was really easy and free for the wedding party. read more

I always wish this was still an elementary school it is perfect for a small school. I love the events that happen here and always enjoy myself when at the school. read more

Cute venue if made right. It has some nice qualities to it. Never knew a place like this existed.

I came to Las Vegas in the summer of 1959 from Calif. with my dad and spent most of my time alone in a motel room at 6 yrs old while he went to look for work ( the motel was a block S, of Fremont on Main St). and when we finally got a permanent place to live I started 1st grade at 5th Street School and went there till I graduated to Jr. High and will always remember all the fun at recess I had back then and the people I knew and all the outdoor activities we had of which I was best,lol. I'm almost 59 now and It brings back a lot of memories just passing by there when I do. read more

Attended the Vegas Valley Book Festival. Fifth street school is a nice venue that is clean and the bathrooms in the gymnasium. The book festival was themed for young adults and children and served as a good, clean environment for families to attend. I can see the potential for hosting a wedding or a gathering of some sort in the courtyard near the mural wall. read more

Was there for the weekend of the 10th Anniv of the Vegas Valley Book Festival. AWESOME! The venue and event was put together well. There was plenty of space for movement and I enjoyed seeing a diverse group of people. you know...the smarties and people like me, who just like books. I met some authors, bought some books, had them signed - very cool. Almost everything was free! All the lectures and most of the events. Paid $10 for the Feasting on Words which was on Sunday, and got so full! It was totally worth it. Those 10 chefs were amazing!!! I recommend this location and this event if you can make it. read more

This is a blessing in Las Vegas! I went to 3rd grade at 5th St. school in 1961. I loved the place, kick ball at recess, the longest teeter-totters ever, playing marbles in the dirt! I am glad the city saved this wonderful place of mission revival style!! read more

I had my wedding reception here and also attended a Las Vegas Valley Book Festival here. The staff was very friendly and the room rental rate was very reasonable. It is a very beautiful property and perfect for the bride who doesn't want a typical casino or golf course wedding. read more

Nice place for a performance. We attended Django Vegas last week. Easy parking, inexpensive tix. Sound was fine. We are going back for the Bastille Day show. read more

Was here for last year and just recently again for the Django Vegas Gypsy Jazz fest. It's a wonderful venue.

I attended 5th Street school for 4th, 5th and 6 grades. Loved it. One of the teachers, mr.Kelly wrote plays and really encourage us to perform. good memories. read more