Carnival of Venice 2022

Do you want to know exactly when and where will take place the Venice Carnival 2025?

The Carnival of Venice 2022 (Carnevale di Venezia 2022), one of the most appreciated carnivals in the world, will take place between Saturday, February 12, and Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in the beautiful city of Venice.

After the 2021 edition of the Carnival took place online, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we hope that in 2022 the festival will return to its pre-pandemic glory, and we will be able to admire the wonderful masks and costumes worn by thousands of people coming from all over the world parading once again through the narrow streets of Venice.

SHORT HISTORY

The first information about a carnival in Venice dates back to 1094, when the word carnevale was mentioned for the first time in a document signed by the Doge Vitale Faliero. Back then, the carnival was an event dedicated in particular to the people from the lower classes, who, through the anonymity guaranteed by masks, could relate with the nobility of the time.

The first official document declaring the Carnival of Venice a public holiday dates back to 1296, when the Senate of the Venetian Republic set it before Lent. Starting that year, for the next few centuries, the Carnival lasted six weeks, usually between December 26 and Ash Wednesday.

During the 18th century, the Venice Carnival reached its maximum splendor and international recognition, becoming famous throughout the Europe, and Venice a destination that attracted thousands of visitors.

Starting with 1797, when Napoleon invaded northern Italy, and later, during the subsequent Austrian occupation, the tradition was interrupted for fear of rebellion. Only on the islands of the Venice Lagoon, in particular Murano and Burano, the Carnival was held, though in a more subtle manner.

Only in 1979, the centuries-old tradition of the Venice Carnival was officially reborn, thanks to the initiative of some citizen associations and the economic contribution of the Municipality of Venice.

Traditionally, the most important days of the Venetian Carnival are Fat Thursday (the last Thursday before Lent), and Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent), but the greatest influx of tourists is certainly recorded during the weekends of the festival. In 2022, Fat Thursday falls on February 24, and Shrove Tuesday on March 1.

The individual annual editions of the modern Carnival have often been dedicated to a basic theme. Some editions were characterized by pairings with other Italian and European cities, thus providing a further involvement of the event at an international level.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Starting with the first edition of the current Carnival, in 1979, a program of events and a detailed calendar was established. Unlike the Carnival of the past, which had an official duration of six weeks, the modern one takes place for only 18 days in a row, but is full of individual events.

In addition to the official events, various private parties and masked balls are organized in the beautiful Venetian palaces. In these venues, due to the almost unchanged furnishings and atmosphere, it is possible to relive the ancient splendors of the Carnival of the past.

In 2022, the highlights of the Venice Carnival are:

• Venetian Feast on Water, the grand opening of the carnival;
• Festa delle Marie;
• Flight of the Angel (Volo dell’Angelo);
• Flight of the Eagle (Volo dell’Aquila);
• Best Mask Contest, the Grand Final.