5 Years Later: Clark County To Host 1 October Sunrise Remembrance Ceremony

As the sun peaks through the horizon and faces are cloaked in warm, reddish sunshine, the passing years never make Clark County's 1 October Sunrise Remembrance Ceremony any easier.

It's a difficult thing to swallow that merely five years ago, in our own city, 60 lives were stolen in one of the most callous ways possible. A day that was suppose to represent the beautiful art of music propelled into a day of despair. However, our city doesn't buckle and bow down when it comes to looking feat straight into its eyes. We're Vegas strong, and we don't give up on our city or people. We've turned despair into honorific respect and remembrance.

Clark County and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department will co-host a 1 October Sunrise Remembrance ceremony at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 1 at the Clark County Government Center Amphitheater in downtown Las Vegas.

This event will provide a moment of silence for those we lost during the 2017 shooting on the Las Vegas Strip. Gov. Steve Sisolak, LVMPD Sheriff Joe Lombardo, Clark County Commission Chairman Marilyn Kirkpatrick and victims' families will also be in attendance of the ceremony.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs since limited seating is available.

Sam Riddle, a country music singer, will perform songs such as "Vegas Strong" and other healing works for the community to connect together through.

Along with Clark County and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Clark County Fire Department and the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center will also be co-hosting the event as well.

After the Sunrise Ceremony, attendees can visit the Government Center Rotunda Gallery, which will hold an exhibit that explores the community's grief and healing process since the tragic event on 1 October.

"The retrospective is called “5 Years Later: Remembering 1 October & Becoming Vegas Stronger” and features letters, posters, signs, and other items from the museum’s 22,000-piece 1 October collection," the city's website states.

The free rotunda exhibit may be viewed from Wednesday, Sept. 28, through Thursday, Oct. 13. The Government Center is open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Rotunda Gallery will be open Saturday, Oct. 1, until noon.

The Clark County Museum is hosting a "5 Years Later: Remembering 1 October & Becoming Vegas Stronger" exhibit located at, 1830 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson, NV 89002. The exhibit opened on September 23 and will run until January 30, 2023.

The Remembering 1 October Collection will be on display at the Clark County Museum. The collection is made up of 22,000 artifacts which depict how the community reacted to the horrendous events that occurred at Route 91 Harvest Festival. The Clark County Museum kept these artifacts as a way to document what conditions were like on and after October 1, 2017.

Items that you may see during your visit of the collection are photos of the lives lost, hats from concert attendees, flowers that were left on the scene, #VegasStrong banners, teddy bears and more. The memorabilia embodies how the Vegas community came together during a tragic time and how we remain #VegasStrong. These collection of items are now a part of Vegas history and are eye openers for out-of-state transplants who may not understand the direct ramifications a tragic event of this caliber has on a community.

The Clark Count Museum would like to hear from you if you left any items at the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign and/or the median strip of Las Vegas Boulevard at Reno Avenue memorials. The establishment is documenting the stories behind these items. You can find more details HERE on sharing your story.

The museum does charge an entry fee of $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for seniors and children. The museum's hours of operation are Sunday through Monday 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please note that the museum will be closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and News Years Day.

If you are planning on taking photos during your visit, please see the Clark County Museum's rules and regulations page.

Las Vegas does not give up and perceivers during the toughest times. We will forever be #VegasStrong.