The Helldorado Days festival began in 1934 as a tribute to the Old West. The festival, which included a rodeo and parade, took place annually until 1997, and then was brought back by the city of Las Vegas in 2005. The proceeds from the festival help fund local children’s charities through the Elks Lodge.
Source: Sonya Padgett, “Raising Helldorado,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, May 13, 2010. http://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/raising-helldorado