Friday marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. First responders and community organizations across the Las Vegas Valley will host events honoring the thousands of people killed 25 years ago.
Below is a list of Las Vegas-area events on Friday, Sept. 11, and Saturday, Sept. 12, commemorating the anniversary:
9/11 Freedom Ride
— 5:46 a.m. Friday
— 3rd Street Stage on Fremont Street
For 343 minutes, Freedom Ride participants will take turns riding spin bikes in honor of the 343 FDNY firefighters killed on 9/11. Donations raised will go to the Southern Nevada Concerns of Police Survivors and Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada Benevolent Association.
Fire Station Tribute
— 6:45 a.m. Friday
— Las Vegas Fire Station 5, 1020 Hinson St.
The annual Tolling of the Bells is set for 6:45 a.m., around the time the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed. A U.S. flag that once flew over the World Trade Center will be raised to half-staff in front of the station.
Visitors can also view a piece of steel from the World Trade Center and one of two Callery pear trees in Las Vegas grown from seedlings of the Survivor Tree, the only tree to survive at ground zero. The other stands at Police Memorial Park.
Stratosphere Climb
— 8 a.m. Friday
— The Strat tower
An honor guard presentation at 8 a.m. will be followed by a climb of The Strat tower at 8:30 a.m. More than 300 firefighters, police officers, military members and emergency medical personnel will climb 1,455 steps to the top of the 1,149-foot tower, the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States.
9/11 Day
— 9 to 11 a.m. Friday
— UNLV Thomas and Mack Center
The nonprofit 9/11 Day is organizing nearly 600 volunteers to pack more than 193,000 nonperishable meals to be donated to Three Square Food Bank. The meals will be distributed to food-insecure Southern Nevada families.
Participants must register in advance.
Las Vegas Ten-13 Club Remembrance
— 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday
— Police Memorial Park, 3250 Metro Academy Way
The city of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Ten-13 Club will pay tribute to fallen law enforcement officers at Police Memorial Park. The park also is home to the second Las Vegas tree grown from a Survivor Tree seedling.
First Responder March
— 7 p.m. Friday
— Fremont Street, beginning at Third Street and Ogden Promenade
Organizers expect 1,000 uniformed first responders — including firefighters, honor guards and pipe and drum units — to march on Fremont Street. The procession will end at the Plaza Hotel, where a community tribute featuring vendors and music is planned.
9/11 Remembrance & Service Day Bash
— 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday
— Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs
The event will feature speakers from police and fire representatives, as well as live performances by local youth. Participating groups include the city of Las Vegas, Las Vegas Council of Scouting America, JustServe, Youth Service America, AmeriCorps, Get Outdoors Nevada and the Jeremiah Program in Las Vegas.
The event will also include the planting of 500 American flags. Following the memorial, attendees can join in a park cleanup and assemble care kits.
Las Vegas 9/11 Heroes Run
— 8 am Saturday
— Mountains Edge
Participants can take part in a 5K honoring those killed on 9/11. Entrance fees go to the Travis Manion Foundation, a nonprofit that supports veterans and their families.
