In a bid to attract customers to casinos located in the downtown area (who were suffering when the strip became the activity center of Las Vegas), a canopy was built over the main streets. The Fremont Street Experience features the largest big screen on the planet. The Viva Vision light and sound show appears nightly on the hour from 8 to midnight. Free concerts and special events are held throughout the year.
In addition to the free concerts and special events, there are also typically entertainers under the canopy on most nights. These entertainers may include painters, photographers, contortionists, or people dressed like famous characters. Generally, they are either selling something, or offering to take pictures in exchange for tips. There is also a zip line attraction called the Skyline, which allows you to zipline from the eastern end of the canopy to around the center. (Contributed by CodyM, 4/11/2012)