The Plaza Hotel & Casino will celebrate the Fourth of July with a bigger and brighter version of its weekly Welcome to the Weekend Friday Firework Show. As in past years, it will be the only Fourth of July fireworks show in downtown Las Vegas, and it is free to view.

Staged from the top of the Plaza’s South Tower on Friday, July 4, at 9:15 p.m., the public can watch the fireworks for free from in front of the Plaza on Main Street, which will be closed to vehicular traffic for viewing the fireworks from Carson Avenue to Ogden Avenue. Guests can also watch the fireworks from a free viewing party on the Plaza’s rooftop pool deck. Doors open for the rooftop viewing party at 7 p.m.

Also on July 4, the Plaza will host a Buffalo wing eating contest at Carousel Bar at 6 p.m. Inspired by the popular Buffalo wing eating competitions in Philadelphia, qualifying “Wing Offs” and the championship “Wing Bowl”, the July 4 contest will be a qualifying event for the Plaza’s main Wing Bowl event on Feb. 7, 2026. The Plaza will award $1,000 to the person who eats the most Buffalo wings in 10 minutes on July 4.  The first and second place eaters will qualify for the Plaza’s Wing Bowl in February.

Carousel Bar and the rooftop pool will also feature special summertime cocktails. The rooftop fireworks viewing party will feature three specialty cocktails: a margarita with Casamigos Blanco Tequila and Cointreau Orange Liqueur, the “Cruiser & Captain” with Sun Cruiser Iced Tea, vodka, and a shot of Captain Morgan Sweet Chili Lime Rum, and the “You Call It” featuring Captain Morgan Sweet Chili Lime Rum.

The Plaza’s fireworks will be dependent on weather conditions and are subject to change or cancellation.

Almost Friday Media and Fanatics Sportsbook announced the launch of season two of “Glory Daze,” a weekly podcast hosted by Heisman Trophy Winner Johnny Manziel.

“Glory Daze” with Johnny Manziel is an interview series from Almost Friday Media that celebrates and explores the most nostalgic eras in sports. On “Glory Daze,” Manziel, a former first round pick, sits down to have authentic conversations with some of the most iconic and legendary names in sports as they share never-before-heard stories, discuss their career-defining moments, and much more.

The first episode of the new season of “Glory Daze” will feature Las Vegas Raiders Defensive End Maxx Crosby and will be available on June 12th via all podcast platforms. The first season of “Glory Daze” was a huge success and featured conversations with sports icons like Matt Leinart, LeSean McCoy, Greg Oden, Patrick Peterson, Michael Vick and Vince Young.

As part of the partnership with Fanatics Sportsbook, Johnny Football will transform into “Johnny FanCash” during live Fanatics Sportsbook ad reads and one-of-a-kind giveaways. Each week, “Johnny FanCash” will collaborate with Fanatics Sportsbook on content and Manziel will make picks each week on the Fanatics Sportsbook, available on iOS and Android. In addition, Manziel will record an episode of Glory Daze in front of a live audience at Fanatics Fest NYC, an immersive sports festival where sports, culture, and collecting collide. Fanatics Fest NYC will take place at the Javits Center in New York City from June 20-22 and tickets are on sale at www.fanaticsfest.com starting at $20 for kids and $60 for adults.

“This season we talk to athletes still in the glory daze, former athletes, and even notable fans,” said Manziel. “Having been through some unforgettable moments myself, I know how important it is to share the real stories behind what fans saw on the field. We’ve lined up some amazing guests who have those same experiences – career-defining moments that fans still talk about today. This season is all about going deeper into those stories and connecting with the fans who remember these glory days just as vividly as we do. It’s about celebrating the moments that shaped the sports we love.”

New Episodes of Glory Daze will drop every Thursday at 12 PM ET across all podcast platforms and Johnny Manziel’s Youtube Channel.

Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, announces a new strategic partnership with Defold, the cross-platform game engine trusted by professionals and indie developers worldwide. This collaboration introduces a seamless integration between Xsolla and Defold-built web games on CrazyGames, enabling developers to easily monetize their titles just in time for the CrazyGames x Defold Game Jam running June 13–15.

To address the complexity of in-game monetization, Xsolla and Defold have developed a new SDK that allows Defold developers to implement in-game purchasing functionality without the complex manual API setup required. With Xsolla’s sponsorship and support, this integration removes friction from the monetization journey, allowing developers to focus on building engaging games, not commerce infrastructure.

This SDK connects three key players in the expanding browser games space: Xsolla, Defold, and CrazyGames, offering a smooth path from gameplay to purchase. The launch coincides with the Game Jam, allowing participants to integrate in-game purchases easily, extend their reach, and scale monetization beyond traditional app stores.

Developers using Defold’s flexible, Lua-based engine can now implement end-to-end monetization flows directly within their browser games, thanks to the powerful toolset provided by Xsolla. This partnership marks a notable advancement for browser-first development and reinforces Xsolla’s role as an innovator in cross-platform game commerce.

“Xsolla has always focused on simplifying the path to monetization, especially for developers looking to reach players across platforms,” said Chris Hewish, Chief Strategy and Communications Officer at Xsolla. “Our partnership with Defold opens new doors for browser game developers, especially as the CrazyGames community continues to expand. We’re excited to deliver a fast, intuitive, and well-designed solution with developers in mind.”

“Helping developers do more with less is core to Defold’s mission,” said Björn Ritzl, Product Owner at Defold. “By working with Xsolla, we’re giving our community tools to monetize games more easily, particularly in the rapidly growing web gaming space. This is a huge win for our developers heading into the Game Jam.”

This initiative aligns with Xsolla’s broader vision of ecosystem collaboration, alternative distribution channels, and sustainable revenue models for developers of all sizes. With over 500 successful web shops launched and a growing suite of monetization solutions, Xsolla continues to bring opportunities together for the global developer community.

To access the new Xsolla SDK or learn more about Defold, visit: xsolla.pro/defold