THE 45th ANNUAL UNLVINO KICKED OFF WITH BUBBLE-LICIOUS AT KEEP MEMORY ALIVE EVENT CENTER ON APRIL 11
The sparkling event featured pours and bites from numerous prestigious vendors, honoree Don Ross of Caesars Entertainment, the UNLV Jazz Band, and more
The 45th Annual UNLVino, sponsored by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada, kicked-off last night with Bubble-Licious at Keep Memory Alive Events Center in downtown Symphony Park. The event is the first of three exceptional evenings to benefit UNLV Harrah College of Hospitality.
Upon entering the event, guests of Bubble-Licious, hosted by Mercedes Martinez with Mix 94.1, walked the glamorous red carpet and were greeted with bubble girls and a human vine. Guests also enjoyed sips and pours from numerous restaurants and vendors while the award-winning UNLV Jazz band performed throughout the evening. Among the many activations throughout the event were the 1,794 bottles of Dom Pérignon adjacent to the stage to commemorate the first year of UNLVino in 1974, as well as the Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence. That award was presented to Don Ross, vice president of catering, conventions and events at Caesars Entertainment, by Larry Ruvo and Michael Severino, both of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Stowe Shoemaker, dean of UNLV Harrah College of Hospitality, and Carly Scheinman-Fitzsimmons, a student of the UNLV Harrah College of Hospitality, who also presented Ross with a signed chef’s coat from all the students of the UNLVino class. As a bonus surprise, Jason Giambi, a retired five time All-Star professional baseball player and former New York Yankee, presented Ross, a massive Yankees fan, with a framed drawing of Ross in a Yankees jersey.
UNLVino continues tonight with Sake Fever at Red Rock Resort Casino & Spa’s pool from 7 to 10 p.m. The event honors Hae Uen Lee of Lee’s Discount Liquors and features a wide variety of sakes, Japanese spirits and cocktails, as well as many Asian-inspired restaurants.
On Saturday, April 12, UNLVino concludes with the Grand Tasting at The Mirage Events Center from 7 to 10 p.m. This final event honors Nicole Brisson of Eataly Las Vegas and will feature premium selection of wine, spirits, craft beer and other beverages and over 20 award-winning restaurants, as well as exceptional entertainment, including a special one-of-a-kind performance by Legends In Concert.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.unlvino.com.
Photo Credit: Jeff Ragazzo / J3 Creative
About UNLVino
From its humble beginnings in the Southern Wine & Spirits warehouse, the annual UNLVino has grown into Las Vegas premier wine, spirits and food event, and serves as the year’s largest scholarship fundraiser for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ (UNLV) William F. Harrah College of Hospitality students. Founded in 1974 by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Senior Managing Director Larry Ruvo and former College of Hospitality dean Jerry Vallen, UNLVino began as a small wine tasting, with proceeds going to UNLV’s hotel college fund. As UNLVino’s popularity grew, so too did its hosting venues, moving from the warehouse into UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center, and eventually expanding to numerous Las Vegas resorts as fans and community sponsors took notice. Entering its 45th year, UNLVino has raised millions of dollars in scholarships and has become one of the city’s must-attend events of the year.
About Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada is the state’s leading beverage distribution company. Founded in 1968 as Southern Wine & Spirits and headquartered in Miami, Florida, the organization later expanded to Nevada, where it operated in Las Vegas and Reno – strategic positions that allows the distributor to meet customer demand statewide. In 2016, Southern Wine & Spirits completed its merger with Glazer’s, becoming North America’s largest wine and spirits distributor and the preeminent data insights company for alcoholic beverages.
About UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality
The UNLV Harrah College of Hospitality is consistently ranked as one of the top hospitality programs in the world. Studying just blocks away from the epicenter of the hospitality industry – the Las Vegas Strip, UNLV hospitality students enjoy unparalleled opportunities to gain hands-on, industry-relevant experience. Each year the college organizes nearly 600 internships, welcomes more than 100 national hospitality brands to recruitment events, and pairs and average of 175 industry mentors with students. And the recent completion of the college’s new state-of-the-art academic building Hospitality Hall, students are helping the college usher in a new era of excellence in hospitality education.