Charo, who is a household name for her trademark statement "Cuchi-Cuchi, will headline at the Riverside, Dec. 27-31. Tickets are $30 for her Wednesday through Saturday 7 p.m. shows. On New Year's Eve, tickets are $40 for the 7 p.m. show and $45 for the 10:30 p.m. performance that includes a balloon drop.

Charo is also recognizable for her witty humor, loveable accent and mastery of the flamenco guitar. She has appeared in countless hit television shows including more than 45 appearances on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" and "The Love Boat," which was more than any other star. Recently, she was introduced to a whole new generation of fans in a nationwide cellular phone commercial for Sprint P.C.S., regular appearances on Hollywood Squares and VH1's Surreal Life. Charo not only created and established the new Salsa style, but also made it possible for contemporary Latin Music to reach the heights of popularity it has today.

Charo has twice been voted Best Guitar Player in the World by "Guitar Player Magazine," been the winner of a Billboard International Latin Music Award, and the winner of the prestigious Golden Eagle Award for outstanding Entertainer of the Year.

At Don Laughlin's Riverside Resort there are a variety of New Year's Eve room and show packages from Dec. 29 - Jan. 1. Packages include a three- or four-night hotel stay and tickets to see either world renowned flamenco guitarist Charo live in concert or attend Gene White's New Year's Eve Dance in the Starview Room.

The dance party with Gene White's band begins at 9 p.m. Admission is $17.50, which includes party favors, a split bottle of champagne, and a balloon drop at midnight.

It will be Dance Party Extreme with California DJ Joel Steven in the Edgewater's Kokopelli's Showroom, Dec. 29-31. Tickets are $ 15 for the 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. parties.

The 2007 Laughlin Desert Challenge off-road race will take place Jan. 18-21. The annual race is held in the rough desert terrain in the Laughlin area and draws as many as 200 of the world's top off-road drivers competing for their share of a prize purse in excess of $300,000. Over the course of the race, approximately 30,000 fans will view the race from either a hill top location or the grandstand area. Filmed for national television, this is the first race in the SCORE Series throughout the Southwest, which will culminate with the SCORE Baja 1000.

Event highlights include the Laughlin Leap and Pit Crew competitions, which offer $26,000 in combined prize money and the huge SCOREVISION big screen on the infield, which replays highlights and shows racing action along the eigth-mile track.

The Colorado Belle will feature three different special SCORE packages starting from $108, call 800-477-4837. Special room packages include a two-night stay, general admission tickets to the races and $15 in certificates valid in any of Colorado Belle's six dine-in restaurants or the Main Gift Shop.

TOP OF NEXT COLUMN

The Great Oatman Bed Races will be held Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. in the historic mining town of Oatman, Ariz., located about a 30-minute ride from Laughlin. The suggested attire is pajamas. The race will be preceded at 11 a.m. by the Chamber Pot Parade where pots and pans can be used as instruments for people marching. The fun will start at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Oatman Post Office with a ping pong drop. For information, call the chamber at 928-768-6222.

The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) that skipped Laughlin this year on the tour schedule have plans to change the oversight and stop on April 14 and 15 next year. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $35 for gold buckle seats, call 702-298-2214.

XTreme Bulls, sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, is a relatively new breakout event that will take place at the Laughlin Event Arena. Laughlin will be one of 12 stops on the tour. The competition features 40 bull riders trying to win $50,000 in prize money. The event will be televised on ESPN and re-broadcast on ESPN2.

Lena Prima will be appearing at the Edgewater in the Kokopelli's Showroom with her show "Louis Prima, That's My Dad!" featuring the music of Louie Prima Jan. 5-7. Tickets are $15.

Staying with nostalgia, "Frank-Sammy-Dean: The Rat Pack Tribute" starring Michael Levin, Bryan Clark and Rick Michel will play at Harrah's Fiesta Showroom Jan. 6-10 and 13-17. Tickets are $17.95 for regular seating, $22.95 for table seating, and $27.95 for booth seating.

More retro sounds will take place at the Riverside Resort in Don's Celebrity Theatre Jan. 3-8 with the "Happy Birthday to the King" tribute to Elvis. Tickets are $25.

Another Rat Pack tribute show will take place at the Riverside Jan. 16-21 and 23-27. Tickets are $30.

The 7th Annual Bullhead / Laughlin Colorado River Bluegrass Festival" will feature top name bluegrass bands Feb. 9-11. Performances will take place throughout each day until dusk at Davis Camp just north of the Laughlin Bridge on the Arizona side. Other highlights will be craft booths and food and beverage booths.

Laughlin resorts are decked out for the holiday season. The light shows are lead by the Ramada Express with its 12th annual "Celebration of Lights." The entire outside of the property is festooned with approximately 1 million lights.

The Pioneer has also put together its annual display along the riverwalk area.

The Aquarius (formerly the Flamingo) has put together its first "Riverwalk Light Festival," with more than 30,000 lights adorning the wall along the river from the river tours ticket booth to the windows on the River Buffet.

The River Palms has a large Christmas tree displayed out in the front lawn area.

CONTINUE ON TO...:
>THIS WEEK'S LAS VEGAS NEWS
>LAST WEEK'S LAUGHLIN NEWS
>VEGAS VIEWS FULL ARCHIVES
>Return to "Heard Around Town"
>Return to Las Vegas Leisure Guide