The 13th Annual Laughlin River Stampede PRCA Rodeo will be held March 29 through April 1 with some of the world's greatest cowboys and cowgirls competing for their share of nearly $250,000 in prize money. The rodeo will have traditional events plus specialty acts, Sunday sunrise service, vendors, food and beverages. For tickets; call 1-800-308-2253.

The Colorado Belle located less than a quarter mile from the event arena is offering six 3-day, 2-night weekend room packages with rodeo tickets starting from $106. Four of the six packages include tickets to Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers performances in the Edgewater Kokopelli's Showroom on Saturday night; call 800-477-4837. Regular tickets for the Gatlin's shows on March 31 at 6 and 9 p.m. are $35, call 702-298-2453.

More than 50 years ago, Larry, Steve, and Rudy Gatlin started singing in their little hometown of Abilene, Texas, and from there went on to make music history with their harmony. They were raised on Gospel music. Over the course of a four-decade career that has taken the Gatlin Brothers from dusty Texas stages to White House performances, from Broadway to Grammy Awards to the top of the country charts, there has been one unifying element, music.

Harrah's Laughlin's new promotion is Bloomin' Bucks running through Apr. 22. Guests may enter daily 5 p.m. drawings for a chance to win cash and prizes and eligible promotion participants will also have an opportunity to return for a chance to win $10,000 on May 17.

Entries may be earned in a variety of ways from dining and playing games to shopping and seeing a show. Three daily drawing winners will be selected by a random drawing. The three potential winners, in the order identified, will select a flowerpot displayed on stage with three possible prizes: a Spa Basket, $50 cash or $100 cash.

Each daily drawing winner will also receive an invitation to return for the Bloomin' Bucks final drawing on May 17, which includes two complimentary nights from May 16 - 18; 50 entries for the grand prize drawing; and one entry into the Daily Drawing final drawing. Again,

three winners will choose from three flowerpots with prizes worth $200, $300 and $1,000 cash and three will be eligible to participate in the grand prize Bloomin' Bucks $10,000 grand prize drawing.

Diamond Rio will perform at the Aquarius Amphitheater on March 31 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 and $35, call 1-800-435-8469.

Together, Diamond Rio members Jimmy Olander, Dana Williams, Dan Truman, Gene Johnson, Brian Prout, and Marty Roe have created a remarkable track record of awards, chart-topping hits, and critical acclaim, while along the way selling more than 10 million albums, with each release certified Gold or Platinum. Collectively they have earned Vocal Group of the Year honors six times from the CMA and ACM.

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The "Laughlin River Run," April 25-29, will include participation by all the casinos throughout the area when the annual congregation of thousands of motorcyclists from across the country turn Laughlin into the largest ride-in bike rally in the western United States.

"Laughlin Invitational Xtreme Bulls" at the Laughlin Event Arena, April 14 and 15, will feature 40 bull riders each day, including national champions and $50,000 in prize money. This will be one of 12 Xtreme Bulls events to be televised on ESPN with a repeat broadcast on ESPN2.

It may seem a long way off, but on June 30 and July 4, "Rockets Over The River" will be the annual fireworks displays set off in the sky above the Colorado River. The fireworks will be choreographed to music and broadcast all along the Riverwalk. They are free to watch and take place at approximately 9 p.m. each night.

The Fourth Annual Riverwalk Art Festival, April 14 and 15 along the Riverwalk at the Colorado Belle and Edgewater, will feature numerous artists displaying artwork for sale. It's a juried art festival taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The event is free to browse; call 1-800-477-4837 for festival room packages specials.

On the list of rather unusual events is the International Alpaca Odyssey planned at the Mojave Crossing Event Center on the Arizona side of the river across from the Avi, March 23-25. For information, call 928-330-2505.

This will be a new venue for the International Alpaca Odyssey that had its conception at the Oklahoma show in 2000. It was in March of 2001 in a tent on the grounds of the Palm Springs Convention Center that more than 300 people and their alpacas gathered for the alpaca event of the new millennium. The event had international judges, a dinner, an auction of incredible alpacas, and an intense competition exhibiting the results of world class breeding programs. Now the event keeps growing.

There will be a Big Band Dance with The Rusty Davis Orchestra in Don's Celebrity Theatre on March 26 at 5 p.m. Tickets are $15, call 702-298-2535 ext 616 or 1-800-227-3849, ext 616.

On March 31, The Dance Club at the Riverside will feature Tom & Sharon's Ballroom, Latin and Swing Dance Party from 1:30 p.m.-4 p.m. For details on party, dance classes or upcoming events, call the Craddocks at 928-754-2097 or 702-298-2535, ext 5708.

On Tuesdays at the River Garden Pavilion at the Avi resort, the free event is the "Route 66 Dance Party" with DJ Manny providing the music and Thomas & Sharon Craddock giving dance lessons from 3 to 7 p.m.

Every Thursday through Saturday starting at 10 p.m., Lightening Strikes turns into "A nightclub with an Attitude" featuring high-powered robotic lighting, the Lightning Strikes Dancers and Shadow Show.

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