Mohegan Sun opened its doors on October 12, 1996. Thirty years later, the Uncasville, Connecticut property is throwing itself the kind of birthday party most of us only dream about: a free Flo Rida show, a Lainey Wilson arena concert, a DJ Cassidy-hosted bash with a red carpet, a $30,000 sportsbook contest, and a food crawl through three decades of menu favorites. If you’ve got any reason to be in southeastern Connecticut this October, this is the month to do it.

Here’s everything on the calendar, and how to actually get in the door.

The Big Night: Saturday, October 10th

Everything builds toward October 10th, and Mohegan Sun isn’t spreading itself thin trying to make every night matter. They’re stacking the whole celebration onto one Saturday and going all in.

Lainey Wilson headlines Mohegan Sun Arena. The country star takes the main stage, and if you’ve caught her live before, you already know this is the kind of show that sells out arenas for a reason.

Flo Rida plays the Wolf Den, and it’s free. At 8:00pm, the man behind “Low,” “Right Round,” “Club Can’t Handle Me,” and roughly a dozen other songs you’ve heard at every wedding since 2008 takes over Mohegan Sun’s legendary Wolf Den. Flo Rida has sold more than 80 million records worldwide, and the Wolf Den has always been the move for big-name performances without a ticket. That combination alone is worth the drive.

The Red Carpet and 30th Birthday Party start at 10:00pm. Guests can watch celebrity arrivals outside MJ23 Sports Bar & Grill before doors open to the Uncas Ballroom, where DJ Cassidy hosts a night that includes both Lainey Wilson and Flo Rida stepping out for photos before making appearances inside. Real Housewives fans will recognize Teresa Giudice (New Jersey) and Erin Lichy (New York City), both making special appearances. Summer House’s Kyle Cooke jumps into the DJ booth from 11:00pm to midnight. Mohegan Sun has hinted at more surprise celebrity appearances throughout the night, so expect the guest list to grow before October 10th arrives.

Tickets for the Uncas Ballroom celebration are on sale now

The 30th Birthday Bar (October 1st through 12th)

Before the big night even arrives, Mohegan Sun’s Sky Tower Lobby transforms into a pop-up birthday bar running October 1st through 12th. The specialty cocktail lineup leans hard into the anniversary theme: The Uncas Legacy, 30 Years Rising, Spirit of the Wolf, and Thirty Moons. It’s open daily for the full run.

On October 10th, the bar gets its own celebrity moment when Summer House’s Kyle Cooke stops by at 9:00pm, ahead of his later DJ set at the Birthday Party.

A $30,000 Sportsbook Contest, Because Of Course

If you’re a Momentum member, Mohegan Sun’s FanDuel Sportsbook is running a free-to-enter 30th Birthday Pick ‘Em contest with entries open October 6th through 11th. The format is a 30-leg parlay pulled from moneyline, spread, over/under, and player prop options across the Sunday NFL slate on October 11th (the early international game is excluded).

First place walks away with $30,000. Second place gets a luxury watch courtesy of Lux Bond & Green. Third place scores two tickets to 30 upcoming Mohegan Sun Arena concerts, which honestly might be the best prize on the list depending on who’s booked next year. Fourth through 30th place split hundreds in free slot play.

A $30,000 Guarantee Poker Tournament

Poker players get their own 30th anniversary moment on October 10th. The Mohegan Sun Poker Room is running a $30,000 Guarantee No Limit Hold’Em Tournament, with registration starting at 11:00am. Buy-in is $300, starting stacks are set at 30,000 in chips, and blinds increase every 30 minutes. Re-entry is allowed if you bust out before level 7, so it’s not a one-and-done situation.

The Signature Stroll: A Menu Tour Through 30 Years

This is the part of the celebration I’m most excited about, honestly. Throughout October, nine Mohegan Sun restaurants are bringing back dishes that pay tribute to restaurants that used to occupy their space. It’s a genuinely clever way to mark 30 years, because it’s not just nostalgia, it’s edible nostalgia:

• Beauty & Essex – Stuffed Portabella Mushroom (honoring Pompeii & Caesar)
• Bow & Arrow Sports Bar – Lobster Fritters (honoring Uncas American Indian Grill)
• Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook – Chief Tantaquidgeon sandwich (honoring Chief’s Deli)
• novelle – Clams Casino (honoring The Longhouse)
• Sunrise Square Food Court – Dan Dan Noodles (honoring The Cove’s Noodle Bar)
• Sunrise Square Food Court – Walnut Shrimp (honoring Bamboo Forest)
• TAO Asian Bistro & Lounge – Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps (honoring Fidelia’s)
• The Crafty Stir Café – Mile High Banana Cream Pie (honoring The Cove)
• Todd English’s Tuscany – Crispy Longhouse Chicken (honoring The Longhouse)

If you grew up going to Mohegan Sun in the late nineties or early 2000s, more than a few of those honored restaurants are probably going to hit you right in the nostalgia.

The Rest of the Mohegan Sun Arena Lineup (October 2nd–11th)

The 30th anniversary celebration folds into an arena lineup that was already stacked before the birthday festivities were announced:

• October 2nd – Alanis Morissette
• October 4th – Foo Fighters
• October 9th – John Mayer
• October 10th – Lainey Wilson
• October 11th – DJ Cassidy’s Pass The Mic Live!, starring Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, Ja Rule, Jadakiss, and Nelly

That’s five shows in ten days, spanning country, alt-rock, and a hip-hop lineup that reads like a 2000s radio countdown. A 30th Birthday Hotel Package is also available for anyone planning to make a weekend of it.

This is going to be a major vibe, so grab your suits if you want to get dressed up or a 2 piece denim pants and jacket set for a more chill vibe and have yourself a ball.