Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

San Gennaro Feast in limbo after business license suspended

San Gennaro Feast at Rio

Leila Navidi

Violin player Sandor Beke entertains the crowds near the food booths during the San Gennaro Feast at the Rio on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011.

The future of the valley’s popular San Gennaro Feast is in limbo after authorities alleged minors were able to purchase alcohol at the most recent festival.

The Clark County Department of Business License suspended the business license of the San Gennaro Feast and the liquor license of its caterer, Las Vegas Horse Expo, after Metro Police conducted an undercover investigation at the festival Sept. 16 in which minors working with the agencies purchased alcohol, county spokesman Dan Kulin said.

Bartenders with Las Vegas Horse Expo were cited at the September event on counts of selling alcohol to underage patrons, Kulin said.

Anthony Palmisano, president of San Gennaro Feast, said this is the first issue of its kind in the event’s 39-year history in Las Vegas. The festival is conducted twice a year and features dozens of vendors serving Italian food and desserts, live music and carnival rides and games.

“They got their own liquor license and I pay them and I guess they didn’t card someone on a Saturday night before we closed,” Palmisano said of the Horse Expo. “They took their license away but they’re holding me responsible as well. So I got an attorney and we’re going over it with them.”

Palmisano said he has a court date Thursday to try to have the license reinstated. Palmisano said he wants to go ahead with the next event in May, but the prospects are not looking good.

Under the circumstances, vendors have been reluctant to commit, he said. “I’m having a hard time, so it might be postponed,” he said.

Palmisano said he would hire people to ID patrons and provide wristbands to those who are old enough to buy alcohol.

Palmisano said the event has a long history in the valley and he would hate to see it end.

“It’s a wholesome family event, and people love it,” he said. “If I don’t lose this (license), I want another 40 years in Las Vegas.”

A representative for Las Vegas Horse Expo declined to comment but said it wasn’t scheduled to work the San Gennaro Feast in May.