Annual Events & Festivals in Southern Highlands You Won’t Want to Miss

Southern Highlands in Las Vegas, Nev., is a master-planned community known for its refined design, beautiful parks, and an active calendar of annual events. Residents and visitors enjoy a well-rounded selection of gatherings throughout the year, each reflecting the area’s sense of community and attention to detail.

These events have become traditions that define the Southern Highlands experience. Whether you live in the area or are considering making it your next home, understanding the annual rhythm of Southern Highlands events and festivals gives you a deeper view into what life here truly feels like.

The Fall Festival at Goett Family Park is a cornerstone of the community’s calendar. Each autumn, residents gather for a day filled with pumpkin patches, carnival rides, inflatable slides, craft booths, and local vendors. The event is carefully organized to include entertainment for all ages and raises funds for community programs through raffles and donations.

Beyond the activities, the Fall Festival is about connection. Neighbors greet one another in the park’s open spaces, live performers take the stage throughout the day, and food trucks line the pathways with seasonal treats. The atmosphere blends celebration and purpose, setting the tone for the rest of the year’s events.

Southern Highlands hosts its “Movies in the Park” series during the warmer months, transforming Goett Family Park into an open-air theater. Residents bring lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and snacks while large screens display popular films under the night sky.

Before showtime, attendees enjoy local food vendors and live music. The series grows each year, often featuring themed nights that tie into community celebrations. The relaxed, welcoming setting makes these outdoor movie events a highlight of the Southern Highlands events and festivals lineup.

The Winter Festival and Tree Lighting Ceremony mark the start of the holiday season in Southern Highlands. Held near the Southern Highlands Corporate Center, this evening event features an illuminated Christmas tree, vendor booths, food trucks, and live entertainment. Guests can enjoy hot cocoa, crafts, and a festive marketplace featuring local artisans.

The event culminates with the lighting of the tree, a moment that brings together hundreds of residents and visitors. It’s a tradition that captures the essence of the community: organized, polished, and warm in its celebration. The festival also raises funds for military-support organizations, adding a charitable dimension to its seasonal cheer.

Southern Highlands honors Memorial Day with a flag ceremony, live music, and food vendors. The event usually occurs in one of the neighborhood’s large parks, offering space for people to pause and reflect.

Following the formal observances, the day continues with a relaxed community picnic and light entertainment. This annual event demonstrates the area’s sense of tradition and respect for shared moments, reinforcing how the community’s values extend beyond its elegant design.

Just a short drive from Southern Highlands, you’ll find one of the region’s most prominent festivals: Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), held each May at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This three-day electronic dance music festival draws major international DJ acts, elaborate stage designs, and tens of thousands of attendees.

The scale of EDC is far beyond a neighborhood gathering: multiple stages, day-to-night performances, and themed installations make it a marquee regional event. For anyone living in or near the Southern Highlands interested in major-festival culture, this event offers a chance to experience a huge music and arts-festival setting without leaving the broader area.

Held annually in September in the downtown Las Vegas area, the Life Is Beautiful Festival combines major music acts, visual arts installations, culinary experiences, and urban performance zones over three days.

The festival takes over multiple blocks and hosts tented food halls, pop-up art galleries, and live-painting stations. It stands out for its blend of music genres (rock, indie, hip-hop), large headliners, and non-musical dimensions like speakers and workshops. Even though it’s not inside Southern Highlands, its proximity makes it accessible for those in the community seeking a large-scale festival experience within the Las Vegas region.

Each October, Sunset Park in Las Vegas hosts the Las Vegas Pride Festival, held by the Southern Nevada Association of Pride. The festival includes a parade route, vendor tents, music stages, and community-based activities throughout the day. The timing aligns with cooler weather, and the venue provides ample space for parade and festival zones.

For someone living near the Southern Highlands, attending the Pride Festival means participating in a well-established cultural event that draws regional attendance. It’s less neighborhood-specific but relevant to the broader landscape of annual gatherings you may plan around when you live in this part of Nevada.

Helldorado Days is one of Las Vegas’s older annual gatherings. It was established in the 1930s and continues today under the original event name. The event features a parade, carnival-type activities, and a community celebration that recalls historic roots. Though the scale and format have evolved, the event remains a familiar tradition in the region.

The festival offers an eclectic mix of entertainment, vendor booths, and scheduled performances across several days. For residents of Southern Highlands, Helldorado Days provides an opportunity to join in a broader community-wide event beyond the neighborhood, expanding the cultural and calendar-based dimension of where you live.

If the sense of community and elevated living in Southern Highlands appeals to you, reach out to Gene Northup, the local real estate expert who understands the area’s rhythm, properties, and lifestyle. Gene can guide you through finding your ideal home in this sought-after Las Vegas neighborhood, so you can experience Southern Highlands living firsthand.