NASCAR weekend, Brad Paisley, book festival this week in Las Vegas

SPORT

South Point 400 weekend

Kyle Larson picked up a win at Charlotte last weekend to stay atop the NASCAR standings as he looks to defend his South Point 400 title. The race is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Tickets start at $64; Ticketmaster.com. Before that, the Ambetter Health 302 Xfinity Series playoff race takes place on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Tickets start at $28; Ticketmaster.com.

Christopher Lawrence

MUSIC

Brad Paisley

Brad Paisley, a top-notch guitarist with a wry sense of humor, has long been a comedic master like no other in Nashville. But on his latest album, the upcoming Son of the Mountains, Paisley takes a more sobering turn with the single “Same Here,” a stirring ballad inspired by the war in Ukraine and an appearance by the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky , contains. See Paisley at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $55; Ticketmaster.com.

Jason Bracelin

THEATER

“Back to the Future: The Musical”

Wow, that’s hard! “Back to the Future: The Musical” makes its Las Vegas debut as part of the Broadway Las Vegas Series. Travel back in time with Marty McFly on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and Thursdays at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m., with additional performances through November 3 in Reynolds Hall at the Smith Center. Tickets start at $40.30; thesmithcenter.com.

Christopher Lawrence

BOOKS

Las Vegas Book Festival

The Pope of Trash is coming to Las Vegas. John Waters, the crazy mind behind “Pink Flamingos” and “Hairspray,” will headline the Las Vegas Book Festival with a discussion about his first novel, “Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance.” That’s scheduled for Saturday at 2:15 p.m. at the Historic Fifth Street School. Tracy Wolff, author of the “Crave” series, will talk about her work at 12:30 p.m. and Nicola Yoon will talk about her latest book, “One of Our Kind,” at 4 p.m. Admission is free; lasvegasbookfestival.com.

Christopher Lawrence

BEER

Downtown Brew Festival

The Downtown Brew Festival, presented by Motley Brews, will be held Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. VIP entry) at the Clark County Amphitheater, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway. The event features more than 200 beers from 60 breweries, food pairings from local restaurants and live music. Tickets start at $55; Downtownbrewfestival.com.

Johnathan L. Wright

MUSIC

Lenny Kravitz

“You gotta breathe and have fun,” commands soulful retro rocker Lenny Kravitz in “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” one of his many hits. To ensure you do just that, Kravitz is launching his Blue Electric Light Las Vegas residency. Flared pants are optional. Catch Kravitz on Dolby Live at Park MGM on Fridays, Saturdays and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $49; Ticketmaster.com.

Jason Bracelin

MOVIES

“Ghosts of Goldfield”

Debbie Isaacs turns lemons into lemonade again with “The Most Horrifying Horror Movie of All Time.” The eighth annual screening of the cheesy horror film “Ghosts of Goldfield,” which Isaacs produced in 2007, will benefit her nonprofit Unshakeable, which supports women recovering from trauma. The film was shot entirely in Goldfield and Tonopah and counts Kellan Lutz and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper among its stars. The fundraiser will be held at the Beverly Theater on Thursday at 6 p.m. and will include light snacks and an open bar. Donations are encouraged; unshakeable.org.

Christopher Lawrence

ANNIVERSARY

Fireworks festival

On Sunday from 3 to 8 p.m., Rampart Casino at the Resort at Summerlin will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a fireworks festival featuring a 10-minute pyrotechnics show starting at 7 p.m., food trucks and a live DJ. Excess parking is available at Tivoli Village across the street. A free shuttle service operates during the festival; Follow signs to pickup and drop-off locations.

Johnathan L. Wright

COMEDY

Nick Swardson

Nick Swardson, a hard-boiled comedian, takes potty humor to a literal level and is back on the road with his Toilet Head Tour. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry (if the bar is empty for some reason), you’ll most likely wake up with a hangover. Visit Swardson at the Summit Showroom at The Venetian on Saturdays and Sundays at 8:30 p.m. Tickets start at $41; Ticketmaster.com.

Jason Bracelin

NIGHTLIFE

Disco of the dead

From 9 p.m. to midnight Thursday, The Golden Tiki, 3939 Spring Mountain Road, presents Disco of the Dead, featuring classic disco hits from DJs Undead Tone Def, Pat and Skyler Villain. Dress in your best ’70s attire for this spooky throwback.

Johnathan L. Wright