Written By  : Maria Concetta Cefalu’

The 45th annual Feast of San Gennaro took place on September 18, 2025, at the M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, at 12300 Las Vegas Blvd S, Henderson, NV 89044. This solemn procession dedicated to San Gennaro, the Roman Bishop and Christian martyr, a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, celebrated on September 19. He is venerated throughout the world and considered the patron saint of Italians abroad.

The solemn procession in honor of San Gennaro
The solemn procession was deeply felt by the participants here in Las Vegas, a great public testimony of the faith and veneration of a great saint, San Gennaro. The precious gold bust of the saint was carried in procession among the faithful with profound devotion and immense emotion, on a wooden canopy covered with fabrics in the colors of the Italian flag, accompanied by music and singing. A solemn moment of religiosity, prayer, faith, reflection, culture, history, and, at the same time, joy shared by the faithful, capable of fostering friendship, unity, and celebration. Above all, it highlights the desire to build community among all, Italians, Americans, and Italian-Americans, regardless of nationality. All this thanks to Anthony Palmisano, President of San Gennaro Feast, Inc. of Las Vegas, creator, promoter, organizer, and heir to the historic San Gennaro Feast of Las Vegas for 45 years.

History of the Feast of San Gennaro in Las Vegas
The celebration of the first  San Gennaro Feast  in America originated with Anthony Palmisano’s great-grandfather, Giuseppe Palmisano, who was born in Trabia, Sicily, and emigrated from Termini Imerese, Sicily, via Ellis Island, to Mulberry Street in New York in 1903. Giuseppe Palmisano’s son, Vincent Jimmy D. Palmisano (Anthony’s great-uncle), started the Feast of San Gennaro on Mulberry Street in New York, then brought it to Florida in the 1970s and finally to Las Vegas in 1980, where it has remained ever since. This year, Anthony Palmisano’s San Gennaro Feast in Las Vegas celebrates its 45th anniversary in the Entertainment Capital of the World!

Participants in the solemn procession in honor of San Gennaro
The solemn procession was attended by city authorities, the Military Honor Guard and the Knights of Columbus Honor Guard, artists, and tourists from Naples, Rome, Sicily, and around the world. Councilor Monica Larson delivered official greetings on behalf of Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero. Also in attendance were Grand Marshal Frank Sivero, the Italian-American actor known for his roles as Genco Abbandando in The Godfather Part II and Frankie Carbone in Goodfellas; Ciro Giorgio, aka Pulcinella, ambassador of Neapolitan culture around the world, a famous actor and singer from the cast of Eduardo De Filippo’s Miseria e Nobiltà, and from the cast of Alfonso Brescia’s Mammasantissima. Among the distinguished guests were the internationally renowned actor, singer, and composer Carmen Romano, the great Italian-American musician Blaise Biagio Benevenga, the wonderful Latin Breeze, Sonny Santino with his powerful and magical voice, Angelo Torchia, international composer and songwriter, and the great Elvis, to keep us dreaming.

The violinist Jane Far to Las Vegas
Present from Palermo was the award-winning composer, singer, and violinist Jane Far, sponsored by the City of Palermo and Mayor Professor Roberto Lagalla, as Ambassador of the Feast of San Gennaro in Las Vegas. She presented a plaque of recognition to President Anthony Palmisano with the following citation: “for his commitment to promoting Italian culture, history, traditions, language, art, gastronomy and cuisine, music, and identity throughout the world, for his devotion to San Gennaro, and for keeping alive the traditions of the origins and roots of Italians abroad.” Jane Far also presented a plaque to Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero through Councilwoman Monica Larson, and to Grand Marshal Frank Sivero.