The sweet sound of music is often the companion of visitors, as they stroll through Henderson's historic downtown area. A state-of-the-art sound system that was originally designated for the Henderson Pavilion is the source of the melodious sounds that can be heard along Water Street.

"When the Henderson Pavilion opened in 2002, it was equipped with an outstanding sound system that tended to echo in the facility and distort the sound," said Bud Pico, manager of Cultural Arts & Tourism programs with the city of Henderson. "We replaced that system with another excellent one—which left us with two stellar systems.

Pico said that when Henderson received an $8 million grant for the construction of the 800-seat Henderson Events Plaza and Amphitheater in 2004, city leaders decided to use the extra sound system in the new facility.

"Everyone thought it was a little crazy that we installed that system in the Events Center at first, but we made it work," he remarked. "Mayor Hafen and the City Council deserve a lot of credit for allowing us to do it. The company that installed the system said that it was one of the best it had ever put in."

The second system also had extra features that the city leadership felt could be used along Water Street.

"It came with a lot of small speakers, and we decided to use them as a sound system for Water Street," Pico explained. "That was really smart business, because we would typically rent speakers for special events. Moving that sound system, from a place where it wasn't working to the Events Plaza, has saved the city of Henderson a lot of money."

XM Satellite Radio, which provides the music that goes through those speakers, has a municipal licensing partnership with the city of Henderson that allows its music to be played publicly.

The "Coffee House Channel," which features the acoustic versions of modern hits and other singer-songwriter music can be heard on Water Street between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., seven days a week, unless a special event or other preauthorized changes have been reviewed and approved in writing by management.

Pico is in charge of choosing the music, which he said gives Water Street a "cool vibe."

"Downtown Henderson has a unique atmosphere, and I think people enjoy listening to the music," he said.

Kathy Nay, a Henderson resident and an attendee at the Farmers Market, which is held every Thursday at the Events Plaza, said that she finds the music on Water Street relaxing.

"The music really goes with the ambiance of the street," she said.