The rest of America only celebrates three major events over the last several weeks of the year – Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. But people in Las Vegas get to celebrate a fourth one during this time: the National Finals Rodeo.

This year’s event begins tonight and runs through Sunday, December 11 at the Thomas and Mack Center on the campus on UNLV. Events will take place between 6:45pm and 9pm each day; except for Sundays, when they’ll run from 12:45pm until 3pm. That means you can expect a lot more vehicle and pedestrian traffic right before and right after each day’s competition.

Out-of-town participants and spectators who are flying into McCarran Airport will probably take Paradise Road, Swenson Street, or Tropicana Avenue to the venue. But Las Vegas residents should also be aware of increased traffic on Harmon Avenue, Maryland Parkway, and Flamingo Road as people drive to the Thomas and Mack Center. And after the competition is done, expect to see heavy congestion on westbound Harmon and Tropicana as NFR fans head to the Strip to continue their partying.

As with all Las Vegas events which draw lots of tourists, motorists may notice more pedestrians who may not know where they are going. So take a little extra caution when you see people crossing the streets (even if they’re not doing so legally). Also, be on the lookout for drunk drivers in and around UNLV as well as on the Strip. And if you are injured in an auto accident, seek medical treatment – and then call a qualified personal injury attorney as soon as you can.