Las Vegas: Country, classical, comedy on tap for Fourth of July

You’ll find fireworks in Las Vegas on July 4, of course, but that’s just the beginning. The Vegas Philharmonic and Garth Brooks will perform (not in the same venue), Paula Poundstone will try to tickle your funny bone and there’s mixed martial arts to boot.

Caesars Palace will light up the night sky with fireworks launched from the hotel’s Roman Tower. The 9 p.m. show will be visible from several vantage points along the Strip, but the Paris Las Vegas resort will provide a prime perch atop its Eiffel Tower.

For $49, guests will get VIP access to the tower’s observation deck 460 feet above Las Vegas Boulevard, cater-corner from Caesars. The price includes a complimentary cocktail and a miniature American flag. Tickets can be purchased by calling (702) 777-2782.

Bombs will also be bursting in air over Symphony Park outside the Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

Beginning at 7:30 p.m., the Las Vegas Philharmonic will stage a holiday concert “Fourth With the Phil” in Reynolds Hall. The fireworks begin at 9 p.m., so patrons can venture outdoors or watch them on a giant screen from the comfort of their indoor seats.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger and can be purchased online.

Music lovers who prefer country to classical may choose to head to the Wynn Las Vegas, where superstar Garth Brooks will perform and record a TV special over three consecutive nights.

The concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. on July 4 and at 8 p.m. July 5 and 6. Tickets cost $125 plus taxes and fees; check availability online or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Country singer Kellie Pickler, who with partner Derek Hough won Season 16 of “Dancing With the Stars,” will perform her hit singles during a July 5 concert at the Silverton Casino Hotel. The CMT Award winner and rising star will take the stage in the Veil Pavilion at 8 p.m.

Tickets cost $40 to $85 and are available online or by calling (702) 365-7070.

Plenty of laughs are promised as Paula Poundstone performs July 5 and 6 at the Orleans Hotel & Casino. The comic, a regular on NPR’s “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!,” got her start during a cross-country trip 25 years ago, during which she visited comedy clubs on open mike nights.

Tickets are $22 to $44 and are available online.

Weekends mean party time at many pools in Las Vegas. On July 6, Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas will be spinning the music at the Palms. He’ll begin during the daylight hours at the “Ditch Saturdays” celebration poolside. That evening, he’ll hip-hop into the wee hours at the resort’s Moon Nightclub.

Also on Saturday night, it’s a tripleheader as New Kids on the Block, 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men share the stage at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Tickets are $59.50 to $125. They’re available online or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Saturday brings UFC 162 to the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Middleweight champ Anderson Silva will face undefeated contender Chris Weidman. Tickets start at $125 and are available online or by calling (800) 745-3000.