San Gennaro Feast — Local services in Henderson

DISCLAIMER: my experience may be totally different from the others that attended the festival - mainly due to taking the public transit bus and needing safety medications. Also, I don't drive. CRITERIA: SAFETY AND LOGISTICS The process of getting into the festival is a total logistics (and potentially safety) nightmare. First: there is only one narrow driveway to enter and exit the festival grounds, causing traffic in the neighboring main street and potentially the Beltway exit. I don't drive, but looking at the traffic, I can only imagine their frustrations. Second: neither the festival's website or Google Maps did not notify that backpacks or emergency medical equipment were not allowed. I was rejected from entering because I had a backpack and emergency panic attack (psychiatric) medications. I only learned this as I got there. I had to do a 4-hour roundtrip just to drop off my backpack and life-saving medications back in my house. CRITERIA: FOOD QUALITY AND AUTHENTICITY The "Italian" food was not exactly of authentic Italiano. It was more based off of the food generated in New York's Little Italy borough (based off of reading history books). They served pasta with meat, meatballs on sticks, and Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. They were decent quality, but not the one I was expecting. What really saved the food festival for me was the New York Cheesecakes, which can serve two people (my mom came along, fortunately) and is much better than the Cheesecake Factory ones. Also: there was more bread than meat in some options. Given that it's a food festival, it would have been logical to reduce the amount of food type that will make someone full in one serving. CRITERIA: CROWD It was lively. One that I personally liked. CRITERIA: WORKERS I don't blame the security guard that rejected me - she was even nice the second time I showed up and apologised.

OVERALL GRADE: 3/5. Could use more garlic. It's basically First Friday but with a lot more frustration and some rides. Could go again to take photographs and for fun, maybe try different foodstuffs. It was worth risking a panic attack (or being not-alive from a potential allergic reaction) - but just at the minimal criteria grade. (Whoever came up with the idea with the cheesecakes better have a raise because that was the difference from giving this festival a...

Where do I even start?

Entry Tickets: to be honest, these might be optional. I purchased these from Groupon and printed out the vouchers. The associates taking tickets, didn't even check the vouchers. Might as well not even buy tickets for entry?

Food: options are a plenty; however, the booths seem to serve the same things over and over. Tacos, corn dogs, pizza, cheese steak, some fried junk, rinse & repeat.

Pricing: pro-tip, bring cash. These vendors have surcharges for using your credit card. Some were 11% of the total, some had a flat rate $ fee. ATMs are a plenty. Moreover, the prices are ridiculous. Saw a quesadilla for $18. It was literally 1 medium tortilla, folded and cut in half with some meat and cheese. My kids make these as after school snacks. Also saw a sign that said "save" on a meal and it was $28 😂😂😂. Literally, sit down restaurants' pricing.

Games/rides: best deal might be to purchase the $40 wrist band and ride all the rides you want. They only had 2 people selling these so the line of kids was extensive. If you play the carnival style games alone, be prepared for sticker shock. One "try" was usually 5-10 credits which equates to $5-10. Sheesh.

I know with inflation, prices have gone up. But these seem like it's purposeful gouging.

This festival was cool, ten years ago. Nowadays, it's just overpriced, mediocre food...

I attended the 43rd annual San Gennaro feast at the M Resort in Henderson, and I had a blast! The feast is a celebration of Italian food and culture, honoring Saint Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples. There were so many delicious dishes to choose from, such as pizza, pasta, cannoli, gelato, and more. The portions were generous and the prices were reasonable. I especially enjoyed the fried calamari and the tiramisu.

The feast also had a lot of entertainment options for the whole family. There were amusement rides and games, live music, arts and crafts vendors, and fireworks on Sunday night. The atmosphere was festive and lively, with people of all ages having fun. The staff and volunteers were friendly and helpful, and the event was well-organized and clean.

I highly recommend the San Gennaro feast to anyone who loves Italian food and culture, or just wants to have a good time. It is a great way to experience a taste of Italy in Las Vegas, just one warning: it can get expensive with food drinks and rides. Expect to pay. With that said, I can't wait to go...