Two area fifth-grade students took top honors in a recent anti-graffiti art contest.

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) honored Carlos Gonzalez of Ruby Thomas Elementary School and Ashtyn Fink of the Meadows School as the grand prize winners of the Anti-Graffiti Art Contest at a special D.A.R.E. event hosted by the RTC Thursday night.

Their winning artwork was unveiled on a 40-foot RTC vehicle before an audience of friends and family.

All of the artwork was created by local fifth-grade students. More than 20 local elementary schools participated in this year’s contest, submitting more than 475 entries. The entries were narrowed down to 10, and the winners were selected by an online community poll.

A number of exciting children’s performances will take place downtown this summer.

The city of Las Vegas will present concerts and theatre especially for children of all ages this July at the Charleston Heights Arts Center and at the downtown Historic Fifth Street School.

Tickets are priced at $3 per person or $10 for a family four-pack for each of the four events. Large group discounts are available. Purchase tickets online at www.artslasvegas.org. For more information or to purchase tickets by telephone, call 229-6383 or 229-3515.

• Leland Faulkner will perform his “World of Wonder” show at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 6, at the Charleston Heights Arts Center at 800 S. Brush St. The “World of Wonder” is theatre designed for the whole family — a show that combines the amazing and lost art of shadowgraphs (hand shadows), comedy, a mime's skill, an actor’s imagination and the conjuror's craft.

The 12th Annual Pet-A-Palooza festival in support of animals in need returns Saturday near Sam Boyd Stadium.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and takes place at Star Nursery Fields at Sam Boyd Stadium, 7000 Russell Rd.

Admission is an $8 donation for adults and is free to children 3 and under, day of/at the door only - advance tickets will not be available for purchase. Parking is $7 per vehicle.

Attendees can receive $2 off the admission price with a donation of pet canned food item at the gate. Additionally, a portion of every ticket sold will benefit one of the 40 non-profit Animal Rescue groups onsite for the event to help feed Las Vegas' hungry animals.

Those Left Behind Foundation Vaccination Clinic is offering free vaccinations at Pet-a-Palooza. Animals must be eight weeks old and not older than 10 years.

Headline entertainment includes artists Train, American Idol’s David Cook, Andy Grammer and FeFe Dobson.