It may have been 70-plus degrees with clear blue skies, but that didn’t stop the snow from falling as Rebels and community partners welcomed thousands of visitors through the candy cane arch and into the 4th annual President’s Holiday Village on Saturday, Dec. 13.
For many of the more than 150 volunteers, the day began before the sun came up as they worked together to transform a parking lot into a festive site for thousands of Southern Nevada children and their parents and guardians. By 10 a.m., the group was ready to go, and visitors began making their way through the falling snow into the festival.
The President’s Holiday Village is held in partnership with United Movement Organized Kindness (UMOK), the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and dozens of community sponsors and partners.
This year’s event included bounce houses, face painting, balloon art, and holiday-themed craft activities. A mobile farmyard gave many children their first opportunity to interact with animals, while visits from holiday characters — and Santa himself — kept spirits high throughout the day.
First responders were also a highlight, with Clark County Fire Department, Community Ambulance, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the University Police Department Southern Command on hand to help children explore emergency vehicles, activate lights and sirens, and even try their hand at operating a fire hose.
One of the event's goals is to ensure every child leaves with a new toy for the holidays. Through a partnership between UNLV and UMOK, each child was able to select a new toy from rows of toy-filled tables, and volunteers provided one-on-one assistance during the process, making it personable and fun.
“What started as an act of kindness has become a tradition of care,” said Sophye Caba, UMOK’s director of outreach. “We are proud to partner, once again, with UNLV and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to give back to our community, one toy, one smile at a time.”
The event also provided parents and guardians the opportunity to connect with more than 64 university and community resource providers to learn about low- and no-cost health, education, food access, and family support offerings.
Upon exiting the event, attendees were encouraged to visit the monthly UNLV Farmer’s Market which was taking place at the same time directly across from the Holiday Village.
“This event reflects UNLV’s commitment to its public purpose by helping address a community challenge,” said UNLV President Chris Heavey. “Seeing young people experience joy during the holiday season is incredibly meaningful, especially knowing how many families in our region are facing real challenges right now.”
With blue skies above and the sound of laughter echoing from the event, one thing was clear: For thousands, UNLV and community partners offered more than toys at this year’s President’s Holiday Village — they delivered hope, connection, and a reminder of what is possible during the season of giving when we all come together with a shared purpose.
