Carnevale re-creates Italian summer festivals
By Susan Stapleton
Photography by Christopher DeVargas
The Venetian and The Palazzo Carnevale festival parade, 8 p.m. daily; Carnevale light show, 9:15, 10:15, 11:15 p.m. & 12:15 a.m. daily; Carnevale Nights, 9 p.m. daily, 21+; children’s activities 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; prices vary per activity. 702.414.9000
Every town, large or small, in Italy has its festivals that pepper the landscape through the summer. The Venetian and The Palazzo replicate that feel all summer long as Carnevale takes over the resorts, letting guests take part in separate monthly themes.
In June, Carnevale celebrates Mese di Arte (Art Month), with the resorts turned into an art gallery, with 3-D chalk artists working away to create masterpieces. July brings Mese di Musica (Music Month) with concert series from musicians and vocalists in The Venetian Showroom and outdoor stage near the outdoor gondolas. August is dubbed Mese di Vino y Cucina (Wine and Food Month) with wine tastings and interactive events for children where they can learn to make spaghetti or pizza. Chefs will be on hand to demonstrate dishes and meet guests.
Mese di Arte begins this week with an art walk that starts at The Palazzo Waterfall Atrium & Gardens, and stores in The Grand Canal Shoppes and The Shoppes at The Palazzo. Each week brings in a different artist to demonstrate the trade. Robert Shield shows glassblowing techniques June 4-10. Shield teaches classes in Las Vegas at the Studio Royal International Academy of Glass Blowing and has actually created pieces for members of the British Royal Family and other celebrities.
Melanie Stimmell, who was the lead technical director for South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, plies her trade in the realm of 3-D street painting, and she visits from June 11-17 to demonstrate these magnificent works. Thom Bumblauskas, a resident artist at Clay Arts Las Vegas, turns his pottery wheel June 18-23. Mese di Arte comes to an end with living art throughout the resorts from June 24-30 when guests can shoot a photo with a living Mona Lisa and more.
Throughout the festival, The Venetian and The Palazzo feature the Carnevale Light Show, where every night, The Venetian’s clock tower is lit with a five-minute 3-D light show at 15 past the hour, every hour, from 9 p.m.-midnight. An Italian piazza has been created in Doge’s Palace, where street vendors sell caricature drawings and green screen photography and waiters are ready to refresh with a variety of sweet treats.
At 8 p.m. each day, an electric light parade, full of stilt walkers, courtesans, jugglers and more, weaves its way from The Palazzo Theater through the casino, past the Waterfall Atrium & Gardens into The Venetian casino and through the Grand Colonnade onto Doge’s Palace.
For the younger set, a variety of special activities means kids can decorate masks with feathers and sequins, get their faces painted, find a delight from a roving balloon artist or go on a scavenger hunt daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
And on Saturday nights starting at 9 p.m., adults can take part in body painting and wine tastings while jazz bands play at Azure Luxury Pool. And for those who just want to sip Italian style, the lounges at both resorts feature special cocktails such as the Piazza prosecco and much more.
