The Rio hosts six-day 32nd Annual San Gennaro Feast of fun

Cullen Garvey of Las Vegas eats a steak sandwich during the San Gennaro Feast outside of the Silverton on Thursday, May 5, 2011.

By Robin Leach (contact)

Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011 | 2:16 p.m.

Check out VegasDeLuxe.com for more celebrity and arts and entertainment coverage.

For the next six days, everybody is paisano (an Italian countryman) as the 32nd Annual San Gennaro Feast gets underway at the Rio, with the tastes of food matched by tastes of great entertainment. Strip stars join entertainer Tony Sacca each day and night, with Madame Mayor Carolyn Goodman making an appearance tomorrow for the traditional Procession of the Saint with an Army National Honor Guard.

Singer Rick Faugno of Jersey Boys, Defending the Caveman headliner Kevin Burke, Name That Tune Live! hosts Zowie Bowie, Louis Prima’s daughter Lena, impressionist Gregg London, Matt Lewis as Elvis from Legends in Concert and the casts of Nunsense and The Rat Pack Is Back, who are serving as the grand marshals, are among the entertainers performing nightly.

This year, there are more than 70 food booths, amusement park rides, free entertainment and arts and crafts. The festival features more than 29 rides and 30 games, plus a new 140-foot roller coaster named The Zillerator.

You’ll be full from all the pasta and pizzas, calamari, calzones and clams and sausages and steak sandwiches, but who cares! The extravaganza is only once a year. My pal star Chef Steve Martorano is flying in from Florida to helm his Rio restaurant Cafe Martorano serving up taste treats at the feast celebrating Italian pride and heritage.

Tony told me: “There’s more fun, more food, more entertainment and more rides this year than we’ve ever had before.”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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By sheiep

Sept. 14, 2011

8:11 a.m.

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"........The extravaganza is only once a year."

Didn't we just have one in May? Are they now only doing it once/year from this event forward? I think it would be better that way, builds up the anticipation, makes it more fun.
By AmLowLife

Sept. 14, 2011

9:44 a.m.

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Hopefully this will improve the product. This event has gone way down hill for years since it was in the parking lot of the Italian American Club on E. Sahara.

Sheiep is right, twice-a-year did not make it better although I think 6 days will be overkill as it will spread out the crowds. Half the fun was wading through the large, festive crowd.

Looking forward to the Greek Food Festival next week. Opa!