Celebrate Barbenheimer in Las Vegas with Tons of Barbiecore Aesthetic & Atomic Age History

Las Vegas may not have an IMAX 70 mm screen for viewing Oppenheimer in an optimum fashion, but it's still a perfect place to watch and celebrate Christopher Nolan's nuclear-powered masterpiece, which is already being called the most important film of the century. Barbie can't be too far behind, right? Both flicks debut in theaters this weekend, leading to a phenomenon called "Barbenheimer," a meme come to life that encourages moviegoers to customize their own double-feature. You can't have steak without ice cream.

In their own respective ways, the films couldn't be better suited for Las Vegas. One's a life in plastic (it's fantastic), while the other taps into the unpredictable atmosphere of the Atomic Age, which helped shape Southern Nevada. Looking for a movie theater near you? Hit the Google machine. Here in Las Vegas, the Barbenheimer phenomenon is more than mere entertainment. It's inspiring brunches, weddings, parties, and more, whether you're fascinated with Margot Robbie's interpretation of a toy doll or J. Robert Oppenheimer's role as the father of the atomic bomb. In other words, you're navigating the right balance between Barbie and "Bobby" in Las Vegas.

And while we've separated the two below, feel free to mix and match the activities to your liking. Don't worry; we won't tell anyone if your itinerary turns out more Oppenbarbie than Barbenheimer. 

One good brunch deserves another. Ada's Food +Wine is already one of the best places for a sip of vino in Vegas, but the Tivoli Village hotspot is taking the fun up a notch with a Barbie Brunch 12 noon on Sunday, July 30. In addition to the regular menu, guests can order themed dishes with rose, bubbles, and orange wine ready to flow along with a special Barbie Spritz. Feel free to show up in costume as your favorite Barbie.

ALDO is capitalizing on the Barbiecore fashion craze with a limited-edition Barbie X ALDO collection inside the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. Browse the footwear retailer for hot pink stiletto pumps, glammed out sneakers, and tiny jeweled purses that any doll would be proud to carry around.

The LINQ
Guests are encouraged to dress up like their favorite toy doll and dance the night away at Barbie Rave on August 5 at Brooklyn Bowl with doors opening at 9 pm. The 18-and-over event is presented by CandiPop, who's staging similar events in cities throughout the country. A DJ will take the stage and play your favorite "plastic hits," which based on a Spotify playlist will include the likes of Britney Spears, Blackpink, Miley Cyrus, and other pop princesses. Tickets are $15.

Downtown
Barbie is more powerful than Oprah right now. Need proof? The Circa resort, the tallest building in Downtown Vegas, is hosting an official Barbie takeover, transforming into a "Dream House" any doll would love between Tuesday, July 18 and Sunday, July 23. The exterior of the hotel tower will be illuminated in pink along with the rooftop Stadium Swim pool deck, which will have Barbie-themed photo stations and bottle service presentations. Be on the lookout for shots of Pink Whitney pink lemonade vodka. Bars throughout the property will have limited edition specialty cocktails, including the beachy Malibu Sunshine (fueled with Absolut Elyx) at the Legacy Club and a frozen Dream Daiquiri at Circa Bar.

Spring Valley & Henderson
Founders Coffee has a "Come On Barbie, Let's Get Coffee" flight at both locations through Sunday, July 23. A serving includes small glasses of Malibu Barbie (Strawberry Coconut Latte with Pink Coconut Whip Cream and sprinkles), Disco Barbie (Raspberry Butterfly Palmer with a sparkle rim and candy skewer), Baker Barbie (Pink Frosted Sugar Cookie Latte), and Tropical Ken Doll (Iced Vanilla Latte topped with Banana Cold foam and an edible flower).

Pregame for Barbie at the Regal Cinemas in Downtown Summerlin with a special themed brunch at La Neta Cocina y Lounge on Sunday, July 23. The restaurant will take on a dream house theme from 11 am to 3 pm with pink decor, playful surprises, and a life-size Barbie doll box for an Instagram-worthy photo op. Choose between Barbie (pink lemonade) or Ken (orange juice) mimosas or sip on cocktail specials like the sparkling Barbiestyle combination of prosecco, glitter, and cotton candy. Finish things off with by dipping Barbie's Beach Bod (red velvet churros) into a side of cream cheese frosting.

Downtown
With Barbie madness sweeping the country (at least for a week or two), the Little Vegas Wedding Chapel just introduced a new Pink Dream package for $599. Anyone in Vegas for a quickie wedding can walk a pink carpet and tie the knot with Barbie-inspired music, bouquet, and officiant inside the Imperial Chapel. You even get a set of pink sunglasses to look your Barbie-est for a photoshoot with a pink Cadillac. Up to 24 guests are allowed. Call 702-385-5683 to book a reservation. Any couple who buys the package will receive a free appetizer and two Spotlight Barbie cocktails when buying tickets for the Barbie movie at the Art Houz theater.

Downtown
Millenium Fandom, a cocktail lounge that celebrates nerd culture, is throwing a Think Pink! party to celebrate all things Barbie on Saturday, July 22. Cosplay as Barbie or Ken and show up anytime between 8 pm and 3 am to get in on the fun. The Meat Wagon food truck will be around to serve burgers, chicken sandwiches, and other bites with responsibly sourced meat, something Barbie would surely approve of.

Rogue Toys is a collectable shop with three retail locations in Las Vegas, including one Downtown on Las Vegas Blvd (across from the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop of Pawn Stars fame). The business has hundreds of Barbie dolls available online, beginning at $14.99. On the higher end, there's a Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Barbie set (Who knew?) for $126.99, a special edition Happy Holidays Barbie for $212.99, and an apparently in-demand Barbie Golden Dream Motor Home for $499.99. The oldest dates back to the early '60s.

Summerlin
Side Piece continues to roll out a series of movie-themed pizzas to coincide with big summer premieres. The latest, known as the Barbie-Q, is available from Thursday, July 20 to Sunday, July 23. The pizza is topped with BBQ chicken, red onions, and a drizzle of ranch. Look for Side Piece in the food court next to the Regal Red Rock theater inside the Red Rock Resort in Summerlin. A slice is $8 or $6 if you show a ticket for a Barbie screening.

Able Baker Brewing, easily one of the best breweries in Las Vegas, has an image based on Nevada's love affair with nuclear explosions. The place even named itself after "Able" and "Baker"—the first two atomic bombs detonated at the Nevada Test Site. The signature beer, the Atomic Duck IPA, was inspired by an unconfirmed, possibly bullshit story that a duck waddled off after surviving one of the blasts. Ask for it on draft when visiting the Downtown Arts District and pick up some fun, themed merch.
 

Downtown
The Fremont East district is full of great bars, but none carry the weight of history like Atomic Liquors, the oldest bar in Las Vegas not attached to a casino. The place dates back to 1952, when it was a liquor store (and still licensed to sell booze on a takeaway basis today). Back in the day, people would hang out on the roof to watch bombs go boom out in the desert. Now, much of the decor pays tribute to the bar's role in the Atomic Age.

Off the Strip
Vegas has the coolest museums. The Atomic Museum (formerly known as the National Atomic Testing Museum) is an official Smithsonian affiliate that explores Nevada's history of nuclear testing, the Cold War arms race, and the legacy of pop culture in the Atomic Age. You'll see stuff like a real nuclear reactor and sit inside a small movie theater that simulates what an atomic blast is like in 4D fashion. There's so much to learn here.

Downtown
After the first weekend of Oppenheimer in theaters, the Atomic Museum hosts a panel discussion with the grandchildren of J. Robert Oppenheimer at the Beverly Theater on Thursday, July 27. The evening begins with a cocktail reception at 6 pm, followed by a Q&A at 7 pm and portrait presentation by a local artist. It will be especially interesting to hear from Dorothy Oppenheimer Vanderford, who now works at the Nevada National Security Site. Tickets are $35 and currently sold out, but seating may become available closer to the event.

Downtown
The Stardust was the largest hotel in the world when it opened in 1958, a time when Atomic Tourism was in full swing throughout Las Vegas. It wasn't unusual for guests to receive schedules and goggles for viewing nuclear tests from the property. Typically the blasts would go off at dawn and spectators didn't shy away from drinking the night away ahead of the show. The Stardust was imploded in 2007 and the hotel's iconic sign is now on display in the Neon Boneyard at the Neon Museum. It's an example of the Googie architecture popular during the Atomic Age, although it has more of a Space Age theme (which still has a Cold Ware correlation).

Nye County
The Nevada Test Site, just 65 miles north of Las Vegas, carried out the work Robert Oppenheimer helped begin with more than a thousand nuclear weapons test detonations over the years. Today, it's officially the Nevada National Security Site, with tours available on an extremely limited basis. Your next opportunity is August 28, when registration opens for the first six monthly tours of 2024. Don't waste any time signing up. A chartered bus takes 50 people to about 250 acres of the site to see the massive Sedan Crater, homes built just to see how they'd react to a nuclear blast, a dry lake bed where tests were conducted, an uninhabited town that once supported the operation, and other remnants of atomic history.

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