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Las Vegas is closing out July with celebrating celebrities, cast parties, concerts and star spinmasters, so spend your weekend in the most exciting destination on the planet and get your party on!

Start on Friday with Randy Boyer out by the pool at Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan. When the sun sets, you've got plenty of options -- Lifehouse goes 'All-In' at Red Rock Resort, Wynter Gordon performs at Bellagio's The Bank, the Bingo Players do a DJ set at Surrender at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, Xzibit spins at Vanity at the Hard Rock; catch Jazzy Jeff at CLASH Fridays at Rain inside the Palms; and you can flash back to the '80s with Eddie MacDonald and Justin Hoffman at ARIA's Gold Lounge.

You can hit the pool scene on Saturday with LA Riots at ARIA's Liquid, Chris Lake at Marquee, Ivano Bellini at Encore Beach Club and Xzibit at the Hard Rock's Rehab.

Birthday celebrations are in order on Saturday night as former "Baywatch" beauty Pamela Anderson (Chateau Nightclub and Gardens at Paris Las Vegas) and "Chuck" and "Killer Elite" star Yvonne Strahovski (Gallery Nightclub at Planet Hollywood) blow out the candles, Vegas style.  

You can also hang out with the cast of Absinthe at Blush, witness the Playmate Takeover at the Palms' Playboy Club, dance the night away at Perfecto with Ronski Speed at Rain, or Morten Breum at Surrender and ATB at Marquee.

Close out the weekend by the pool Sunday with Anjunabeats at the Venetian's TAO Beach, Calvin Harris at Encore Beach Club and The Captains of Industry at Marquee.

Las Vegas is the place for great pool parties and nightlife all summer long, so seize the summer in Vegas!

Everyone knows Las Vegas is famous for its poolside parties and summertime entertainment, but there are plenty of other ways to seize the summer in Vegas before it's gone.

Las Vegas is home to some of the most acclaimed and talked about restaurants in the world. From diners and buffets to one-of-a-kind Michelin-rated eateries, Vegas caters to every dining desire. The Country Club at Wynn Las Vegas offers an innovative update to the classic steakhouse menu. For a rockin' good time, check out Roxy's Diner inside the Stratosphere Hotel, Casino and Tower. The 1950s-themed diner boasts a singing staff and a menu offering hearty items like juicy burgers, crispy onion rings and delicious milkshakes. For those looking for an unforgettable experience, Tao Asian Bistro at The Venetian features Hong Kong Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisines.

Here are a couple of great ways to stay cool this summer - try the Qua Baths and Spa's Arctic Ice Room at Caesars Palace, where you can relax in the "snow" - in the form of mint-infused air falling from a domed ceiling at 55 degrees. It's the coolest spa treatment you'll ever enjoy, and it's only in Vegas. Or hang out at the Minus 5 at Mandalay Bay and Monte Carlo Resort, where the drinks - and everything else - are chilled. Same goes for the frozen ice bar at Red Square.

Life is short. Summer is shorter. Seize the summer in Vegas!

Celebrities, big-name music acts, and some of the world's top DJs/producers -- must mean the weekend is near. Here's a sneak peak at some of the sights and sounds you can experience this weekend, only in Vegas:

There's something for every musical taste on Friday, ranging from the outrageous Cee-Lo Green at MGM Grand's Wet Republic to synth pop sensations Neon Trees performing an outdoor show at the Red Rock Resort's Sandbar. Ben Folds brings his piano-driven pop sound to the Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan and Taylor Dayne will perform her '80s hits at Gold Lounge at ARIA Resort. 

You can also help Ashley Tisdale celebrate her birthday at Pure inside Caesars Palace on Friday, or party with model/TV personality Jessa Hinton at Vanity Nightclub at the Hard Rock. Chanel from MTV's Fantasy Factory is hosting Ditch Fridays at the Palms Pool. Emanuelle Vaugier of "Covert Affair" and "Two and a Half Men" celebrates her birthday at Chateau Nightclub & Gardens at Paris Las Vegas. Actor Michael Madsen is pulling double-duty, appearing at the Las Vegas Film Festival afterparty at The Bank inside Bellagio and hosting an event at Gallery Nightclub at Planet Hollywood.

Andy Moor (dayclub) and DJ Chuckie (nightclub) bring their signature sounds to Marquee at Cosmopolitan on Friday, Too Short performs at 1OAK at The Mirage and Wolfgang Gartner spins at Surrender inside Encore at Wynn Las Vegas. 

On Saturday, actress Jamie Chung hosts an event at Pure, and Madsen checks out Chateau Nightclub & Gardens. For some great music, Chamillionaire performs live at LAX inside Luxor and Ray J takes the stage at Gallery Nightclub.

There's plenty of house music available Saturday night in Vegas, too, including Klass (day) & DJ Kaskade (night) at Marquee, Diplo at Surrender, a DJ set by Scooter & Lavelle at Liquid Pool Lounge at ARIA and the Palms features DJ Jazzy Jeff at Moon and Perfecto with Zen Freeman at Rain.

Close out your weekend with some great pool parties, including Dada Life at Encore Beach Club, Gareth Emery and Blake Jarrell at Venetian's TAO Beach and Ghostbar Sundays at the Palms featuring Trevor Simpson.

Who's ready for some Vegas this weekend? Seize the summer!

Keri Hilson is part of the Vegas weekend scene, as the hip-hop diva is performing Saturday night at Gallery inside Planet Hollywood.

Hilson recently took us behind the scenes prior to the Billboard Music Awards (which was held at MGM Grand in May) to talk about performing in Vegas, shopping and much more. In case you missed it, check out the video below, or view it on our official YouTube channel. 

Encore Beach Club plays host to internationally renowned DJ/producer Kaskade on Sunday for some fun by the pool.

Seize the summer with celebrity parties, amazing music and entertainment in Vegas!

Independence Day -- the ultimate celebration of freedom. No place shouts freedom quite like Las Vegas, so take advantage of the holiday weekend and plan a summer getaway to the Entertainment Capital of the World.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are performing a poolside show at Red Rock Resort on July 1,  Rihanna gets loud on July 2 at Mandalay Bay and it's always a free for all when Ted Nugent rocks at Sunset Station. Also on July 2, watch some fireworks from inside the Octagon at UFC 132 at MGM Grand.

On July 3, the New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys perform at Mandalay Bay Events Center, while over at House of Blues, Natasha Bedingfield takes the stage.

If you like comedy, you'll be laughing all weekend with Carlos Mencia at Treasure Island, Joe Rogan at Mandalay Bay, Mike Epps and The Anti-Social Network at the Palms and Bill Maher at the Orleans.

There are also several fireworks displays planned for the Fourth in Vegas, so stick around and enjoy the festivities. Life is Short. Summer is Shorter. Seize the summer this Fourth of July in Vegas!!!

As you might expect with the Electronic Daisy Carnival at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Vegas this weekend -- top DJs and producers are all the rave. Here's a look at who you can see and where:

The EDC is an all-night event, but you still need something to do during the day, so check out the official EDC Weekend pool parties with Boyz Noise on Saturday at Aria's Liquid Pool Lounge and Avicii at Marquee at Cosmopolitan on Sunday. And for those who really want to cap off an amazing weekend, hit the official EDC After Party with Laidback Luke at XS at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas on Monday night.

There's also plenty to do in between all around town. Steve Aoki, Sidney Samson, Calvin Harris and Afrojack are part of the DJ Magazine 20-year anniversary weekend parties at Surrender and Encore Beach Club. On Friday night, Samantha Ronson provides the sound at Chateau at Paris Las Vegas, Armand Van Helden is on the turntables at Gallery inside Planet Hollywood, Twista performs at 1OAK at The Mirage and Alexandra Richards spins at The Bank at Bellagio. DJ Chuckie is also celebrating his birthday with a performance at Marquee.

Jay Sean is at Pure inside Caesars Palace Friday for a live performance, and Gavin DeGraw is at Red Rock Resort for an outdoor show. You can also party the night away with Solange Knowles as she celebrates her birthday at Lavo at The Palazzo.

You can also pump your fists all day as DJ Pauly D launches his residency at Ditch Fridays at the Palms pool and later that evening at Rain for Clash Fridays. He'll also be at Moon on Saturday night.

Benny Banassi is the special guest DJ at TAO Beach on Saturday for Lo Bosworth hosting her sister's bachelorette weekend, and over at Bare pool at The Mirage DJ Erra is doing a live set. Martin Solveig is at MGM Grand's Wet Republic and Yolanda Be Cool is at Encore Beach Club.

The celebrities come out on Saturday night as Nicki Minaj heads to the Gallery, Taio Cruz performs at Chateau, Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls fame celebrates her birthday at Tao at the Venetian and Shaq holds his retirement party at Moon.

Seize the summer like never before. The party is on all over Vegas this weekend!

Life is short. Summer is shorter. The season will be over before you know it, so make the most of it with a memorable getaway to the world's most exciting destination ?? Las Vegas.

If you love the music of the 1980s, you can relive it with Nina Blackwood's Absolutely '80s summer concert series and festival. This 100-day Fremont Street Experience promotion kicks off Memorial Day weekend and will run through Labor Day. Hosted by original MTV VJ Nina Blackwood, this series of free headliner concerts Downtown features several acts that helped define the decade in music, including Terri Nunn & Berlin, Dale Bozzio & Missing Persons, Loverboy, Howard Jones and more!

Summer is also the perfect season to do some shopping, and no place does shopping like Vegas! Great deals are waiting at the Fashion Show Las Vegas, The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian and Las Vegas Premium Outlets.

Stay cool this summer with some unique beverage and dessert options. Start with a Pomegranate Lemonade at the Tropicana or see if the Witch Doctor is the perfect potion for you at the Rio's Voodoo Lounge. Try some gelato from Jean Philippe Patisserie locations at Bellagio and ARIA, or grab a shake at Roxy's Diner in the Stratosphere or Holstein's at The Cosmopolitan.

Seize the summer before it's too late - plan the perfect trip to Las Vegas and enjoy amazing music, shopping, food and more!

Note: This is the fifth in a series of blogs leading up to the Miss USA 2011 competition on June 19 at Planet Hollywood. In this entry, we're highlighting contestants from the East Coast.

MISS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA USA: HEATHER DANELLE SWANN

Q: Who's your favorite Vegas icon?
A: Elvis! I want to take a picture with an Elvis impersonator.

Q: If you had to pick five things to pack in your suitcase for a trip to Vegas, what would they be?
A: Money, a Redbull or some type of energy drink, the cutest cocktail dresses in my closet, the cutest set of comfortable heels and a camera to document the time of my life!. 

Q: If you could live at any Las Vegas resort, which one would you choose?
A: Trump International Hotel Las Vegas!

MISS CONNECTICUT USA: REGINA TURNER

Q: What are you most excited about seeing and doing in Las Vegas?
A: Seeing the dolphins at Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage!

Q: If you had only one night in Vegas, which nightclub would you choose?
A: Bank at the Bellagio. 

Q: What's the best pool in Vegas?
A: I hear that the pools at the MGM Grand are exquisite.

MISS MAINE USA: ASHLEY-LYNN MARBLE

Q: What is the first thing you want to do when you get off the plane in Vegas?
A: Cruise down the Las Vegas Strip in a convertible.

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Las Vegas?
A: Sage (at ARIA Resort) because of its fresh farm-to-table ingredients. 

Q: If you could live at any Las Vegas resort, which one would you choose?
A: I have heard that the M Resort is amazing!

MISS MARYLAND USA: ALLYN ROSE

Q: What are you most excited about seeing and doing in Las Vegas?
A: I am most excited about competing in the Miss USA pageant! I will also be extremely excited to see the legendary "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign!

Q: Who's your favorite Vegas icon?
A: My favorite Vegas icons are Penn and Teller! Their shows are amazing! 

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Las Vegas?
A: Sushi is my favorite food, so I would love to visit Shibuya and I hear Alize is amazing.

MISS MASSACHUSETTS USA: ALIDA D'ANGONA

Q: Where do you love to shop in Las Vegas?
A: I'd love to go to Le Boulevard at Paris Las Vegas!

Q: If you had only one night in Vegas, which nightclub would you choose?
A: As a DJ, I would love to go to the nightclub that has my icon DJ Tiesto rocking the dance floors. 

Q: Who would be your dream date for a night out in Vegas?
A: Girls' night out with Ellen DeGeneres. She's hilarious and is the only person who could make Vegas better!

MISS NEW HAMPSHIRE USA: LACYJANE FOLGER

Q: Who would be your dream date for a night out in Vegas?
A: Donald Trump, of course!

Q: What restaurants are you most excited to try in Vegas?
A: I have never been to Vegas before, but anyone that knows me knows that I am a steak and potatoes girl. My friends who have been to Vegas recommend I go to Craftsteak! 

Q: What are your must-see shows in Vegas?
A: Miss USA, of course, David Copperfield and The Ultimate Variety Show.

MISS NEW JERSEY USA: JULIANNA WHITE

Q: If you had only one night in Vegas, which nightclub would you choose?
A: I would go to Surrender at Encore. It seems like the perfect place to visit for a night of dancing!

Q: What is the most unique experience you've had in Las Vegas?
A: The most unique experience I had in Vegas was when I solved a crime at MGM Grand's CSI: The Experience. It was so fun to be a part of what I see in the television series! 

Q: What is the best advice you can give to a first-timer in Las Vegas?
A: The best advice I could give to someone visiting Vegas is just have fun -- go everywhere you can and make sure you go to all of the amazing clubs! Also, don't forget Band-Aids for your feet after all of the sightseeing and dancing!

MISS NEW YORK USA: AMBER MARIE COLLINS

Q: What's the best pool in Vegas?
A: Rehab at the Hard Rock because it has great cabana service.

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Vegas?
A: Tao Asian Bistro because I love the giant fortune cookie dessert. 

Q: If you could live at any Las Vegas resort, which one would you choose?
A: Definitely New York-New York so I could get a taste of home while I was in Vegas!

MISS RHODE ISLAND USA: KATE MCCAUGHEY

Q: Who's your favorite Vegas icon?
A: Currently, my favorite Vegas icon is Holly Madison, star of Peepshow at Planet Hollywood. She seems so kind and has an incredibly outgoing personality, perfect for Vegas!

Q: Who would be your dream dates for a night out in Vegas?
A: My dream dates for a night out in Vegas would be my best friends. I love girls' nights out, but if Zach Efron or Justin Timberlake happen to be there, I wouldn't hate that either! 

Q: What's the one thing in Vegas you can't miss?
A: I can't miss seeing Paris Las Vegas because I have been to the city of Paris and can't wait to see the Eiffel Tower replica and relive some amazing memories.

MISS VERMONT USA: LAUREN CARTER

Q: What might you wear in Vegas that you wouldn't wear back home?
A: Six-inch high heels and a swimsuit ... together! Nobody does that in Vermont.

Q: What restaurants are you most excited to try in Las Vegas?
A: I haven't been, but I would love to go to Margaritaville (at Flamingo Las Vegas). I'm a huge Jimmy Buffett fan! 

Q: If you could live at any Las Vegas resort, which one would you choose?
A: Mandalay Bay. An amazing gym, pool and spa -- what more could I ask for?

All Miss USA contestants surveyed are over 21 years of age.
Images courtesy of Miss Universe Organization

You know that powerful and upbeat rock song you hear in Las Vegas' summer commercial TV spots? If you've seen the spots, you certainly know it. (And if you haven't, well, here you go, courtesy of the official Las Vegas YouTube channel):

OK, so you know the song. But do you know the title and artist? It's "Listen to Your Love" by Nashville rockers Mona, whose self-titled debut album has already helped them earn MTV's Brand New for 2011 Award. Sure, that's no guarantee for superstardom, but consider this: The act that won the award last year ... just some kid by the name of Justin Bieber.

Mona -- frontman/guitarist Nick Brown, bass player Zach Lindsey, drummer Vince Gard and guitarist Jordan Young -- is touring this summer and will be in Vegas this Sunday night, accompanying Airborne Toxic Event at the House of Blues inside Mandalay Bay.

Brown and Gard grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and Lindsey is from Bowling Green. When Brown and Gard were looking to embark on a career in music, they moved to Nashville because, as Brown explains, "It was five hours' drive away as opposed to 14 hours to New York or 26 hours to LA. And way cheaper. We're a bunch of poor kids."

They ran into Lindsey on the local scene and he introduced them to Young, completing the quartet.

"Now we're four horses pulling the carriage," says Brown, who's worked on the "idea" for Mona for years ?? not least because the band is named after his grandmother. "There's a lot of people that wanted to be in this band. There's a lot of people that locally support this band. But as far as having people that understand their roles, and being happy with their roles, it's chemistry, man. It's just like a relationship. It's a marriage."

And their song, "Listen to Your Love," is a perfect marriage for summer in Las Vegas. It's upbeat, loud and fun. Check out Mona this weekend in Vegas and at http://monatheband.com.

     The 51 contestants who will be vying for the 2011 Miss USA crown at Planet Hollywood on June 19 are already in Las Vegas preparing for the event, and tonight you can get a firsthand look at the pageant hopefuls at Tao Nightclub inside The Venetian.  

     Kick your weekend off with the famous Ditch Fridays party at the Palms pool. This week, relax poolside as DJ Jazzy Jeff provides the musical entertainment.

     Renowned recording artist Ciara performs Friday night at Chateau Nightclub & Gardens at Paris Las Vegas, and Chris Mintz-Plasse's birthday party at Gallery inside Planet Hollywood is sure to be a superbad, kickass affair and you can also enjoy the sounds of DJ Cobra spinning at Haze inside ARIA in the heart of City Center.

     Celebrate more celebrity birthdays on Saturday as Chateau hosts a party for Juliette Lewis and Pure inside Caesars Palace is the site of Kendra Wilkinson's birthday festivities. Over at Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan, famed spinmaster Kaskade is manning the decks pumping out his signature sound.

      Another exciting weekend of celebrities and the world's top DJs. Join the party in Vegas!