Trash that McDonalds’ burger and head out today for some unsurpassed carbo loading, feast on healthy Italian sauces, and, at no extra up charge, experience an enlightened cultural Italian infusion to your life. 
The San Gennaro Feast will celebrate 30 years of Italian food, music, and hospitality in the Las Vegas Valley on May 6 through 10. The biannual feed and cultural event has more than 200 vendors and draws thousands of people.
The feast is always packed, coming a long way from its fledging start in the parking lot of the Italian-American Supper Club with just a handful of vendors and people.
The event’s namesake – the feast – will be provided by 80 food vendors, not just Las Vegas restaurants but some as distant as Boston and New York.
The business brains behind the event are partners Hank Squartino and Vincent “Jimmy” Palmisano. The business was started by Squarino and Palmisano’s great uncle to celebrate Italian food and culture. They now fly in from Florida to Las Vegas eight weeks before each San Gennaro Feast to prepare for what they refer to as a massive block party. Even so, planning for the event is a nearly a year-round job. They sample all the cuisine before it is booked and prepared for the feast. Only the best, most authentic Italian cuisine is accepted through the gates.
The five-day San Gennaro Feastwill kick off with a fireworks show at 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 6. Hours are from 4 to 11 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; from 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday at the Grand Canyon Shopping Center, near Flamingo road and the Las Vegas Beltway in Spring Valley. General admission is $7; seniors are $6 and children less than 54 inches tall (with no spaghetti in belly) get in free. For information, please visit www.SangennaroFeast.org
Vegas Backstage Access (VBA) 