One of the defining attractions of downtown Las Vegas is the extravagant Fremont Street, a major tourist attraction and home to the city’s annual New Year’s Eve celebrations. One of the reasons it is so popular is the Fremont Street Experience, a unique combination of a pedestrian mall and a lightshow that is accomplished by an intricately made barrel vault canopy.

The Freemont Street Experience came to life because of the work of architect Mary Kozlowski. Having grown up in Las Vegas, Kozlowski knew and loved Fremont Street and, when tasked to think of something to rejuvenate downtown Las Vegas’ gambling scene, came up with what is now known as the Freemont Street Experience.

A veritable canopy that consists of one large LED display is the main attraction of the Freemont Street Experience. Stretching over 1,400 feet, the canopy houses over 12 million LED lamps, a figure that is five times larger than its original amount due to a recent $17 million upgrade. The canopy also contains 220 speakers capable of producing 550,000 watts of sound.

The combination of such potent audio and visual systems is completely dazzling and must be seen to be believed. Besides standing alone, the system is also used to put on light and sound shows, such as the “Lucky Vegas” show that pays homage to some of the most influential figures in Las Vegas.

There are plenty of other reasons to visit Fremont Street as well. The pedestrian mall, which was created in 1994 when vehicular traffic was completely prohibited from Fremont Street, has great shopping and is enhanced by the music as well as the light and sound shows that are staged throughout the day. The Neonopolis forms the east end of the pedestrian mall and is a massive restaurant, shop, and entertainment complex.