Residents, tourists enjoy holiday Las Vegas style

Heather Rawlyk

Monday, April 12, 2004 | 10:44 a.m.

For Las Vegas residents Amery and David Cullenn, an early feast with the family was the plan for Sunday.

They said they go to the Sahara every Easter for the Strip resort's annual holiday breakfast.

"We celebrate Easter in our own way," David Cullenn, 31, said as he reached for seconds at one of the buffet tables. "For us, it's a day that we spend with family. We start here every year, just us, and fill up with a few rounds of breakfast."

After breakfast, the Cullenns make their way to Henderson to visit Amery Cullenn's sister, Brooke, and her four children for an Easter egg hunt after the family attends church. After the egg hunt, the family sits down to watch an animated movie about Christ's resurrection, Amery Cullenn, 29, said.

"It's a children's movie for the kids, but all of us gather around and watch it," she said. "The kids are between ages 3 and 12. The oldest explains things to the youngest children and we talk about the meaning of Easter.

"It's a special time. We look forward to it every year."

On the holiest day of the Christian calendar, Easter can be a little bit different in Las Vegas, especially on the Strip, where the activity never stops.

For those not celebrating Easter, Las Vegas puts on its regular show. For those celebrating, there were plenty of opportunities to mix religious and family traditions with a little bit of the Strip.

Around the corner from the Sahara, hundreds of locals and tourists alike packed into the Guardian Angel Cathedral at 302 Cathedral Way, across from the Stardust.

By 8:45 a.m., the church was packed. The cathedral's back door was propped open so those outside could hear the words of the Rev. James Crilly, who presided at Sunday's Easter Mass.

Las Vegas residents Matthew and Magdalena Lopez stood outside with their two children, 2-year-old Blanca and 1-year-old Alejandro.

"We come here every Sunday and especially on Easter," Magdalena Lopez said. "Easter and holidays are always packed.

"It is such an important day -- the resurrection of Christ. It makes it a real great time to get together with family and celebrate this event."

Lopez said her family planned to go to her mother's house to eat breakfast and enjoy Easter baskets.

Las Vegas resident Caroline Huberts stood with her family outside the church, her right arm around her mother, Carmella Ruppert of New Jersey, and her left arm around her daughter, 14-year-old Jennifer Carl.

"This is a very special Easter because my family flew in from New Jersey," Huberts said, pointing out her parents, Carmella and Ron Ruppert, her sister Sandra and nephew Craig, all of New Jersey.

Carmella Ruppert said it was even more special because she had not seen her daughter, Huberts, in more than two years.

The Rupperts, who described themselves as avid sightseers, arrived in Las Vegas late Saturday night.

"We're going to have a big family get-together," Huberts said. "It's a very special, holy day. It is so nice to be able to spend it together."

Some tourists had hoped to spend part of Easter morning watching the "dancing waters" show in front of the Bellagio. Word quickly spread, however, that Sunday's power outage at the resort would prevent the fountain show from going on.

The news didn't bother tourist Lee Martin. The 33-year-old English teacher from Wales said she was happy just to take in the Las Vegas sunshine.

"It's rainy and gray in Wales right now," said Martin, on her third Easter trip to Las Vegas. "That's why we come here every year during Easter to visit my sister, who lives in Henderson. I love the sunshine here. It's beautiful."

Down the sidewalk, Las Vegas resident Pat Frye, 37, sat with her daughter Emily, 7.

"We always come see the water show on Easter," Frye said. "This is awfully disappointing."

The visit to the Bellagio is one of several Easter traditions Frye and her daughter have, she said.

"We went to an outdoor sunrise service this morning and they had a breakfast afterward," she said. "We always go to that and then come see the water show because she (Emily) never gets to see it." On the south end of the Strip people celebrated Easter with soul music at the House of Blues Gospel Brunch.

Hundreds of visitors, who bought tickets for $37 in advance, stood in line outside the House of Blues showroom at 11:30 a.m., waiting to be seated.

"From what I hear, we'll be led to our reserved seats and hit a buffet table and then listen to a Gospel group while we eat," said Dana Norr, 29, of Tampa, Fla.

"This is the way I want to spend Easter. Eating with friends and listening to a good old Gospel group. It's not the traditional Easter, but I think it's a neat way to celebrate in your own way." The Gospel Brunch was an easy way to accommodate the different beliefs held by the group of eight that Norr was visiting with, she said.

"We're all different and all probably normally celebrate Easter in different ways," she said. "But this way, we can relax, there is no preaching and we can celebrate our own beliefs and not leave anyone out in the dark.

"Plus, it looks really fun."

Shannon Esposito, 20, and her mother Maria, of Salt Lake City, shared a strawberry gelato on a bench inside the Desert Passage Shops at the Aladdin. She has made regular trips on Easter since her daughter started at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "Where else can you go shopping with your daughter on Easter Sunday?" said Maria Esposito, a 49-year-old school nurse. "In any other city all the stores would be closed. "This is our tradition. Eating ice cream, shopping together and catching up.

"Easter is a holiday to celebrate life and spend time with your family. I can think of no better way."