Carnival of Venice 2018

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Every year, sometime in January or February, the Venice Carnival gathers around one million people searching for fun. They come from all over the world, determined to turn nights into days, attracted by the mystery behind the Venetian Masks and, of course, by the show itself.

SHORT HISTORY

The Venetian Carnival was born, apparently, sometime in the 11th century, after the Venetian Republic gained an important victory against a not so far Roman city, Aquileia. Since then, it was established that every year, in order to commemorate this victory, several animals will be sacrificed and served to the population gathered in St. Mark’s Square.

The first document mentioning the carnival dates back to 1268 and the official one, which regulates it as a public celebration, was issued by the Venetian Senate in 1296. From that moment on, the event will gain more and more notoriety.

In the 18th century, Venice, in decline, will be conquered by Austria and the carnival tradition is interrupted. 1797 is the last official year of the carnival as a public holiday, although parties would continue year after year, but only in a restricted environment, through the palaces of the Venetian nobility.

After the Austrian occupation ended in 1866, there were several attempts to revive the carnival, but they were not very successful. Later, in 1930, it was definitively banned by Benito Mussolini, as an expression of the fascist dictatorship that was growing at that time.

The Venice Carnival will rebirth in 1979 and will begin to grow again, first shy, only for the locals, and then in force, along with the tourists who will start to participate in the early 1980s. Today, the number of those who arrive at the carnival is impressive, making it probably the most famous event of its kind after the Rio de Janeiro Carnival.

CARNIVAL OF VENICE 2018 – CALENDAR OF THE MAIN EVENTS

January 27-28, Saturday & Sunday

• Grand Opening of the 2018 Venice Carnival – Feast of the Venetians, “La Festa Veneziana”, the main event of these two days.

February 3, Saturday

• Best Mask Contest, in St. Marks Square.
• Festa delle Marie, held at San Pietro di Castello.
• Carnival of the youth of Zelarino.
• Mestre Carnival Street Show.
• Official Dinner Show and Ball, at Ca’ vendramin Calergi palace.

February 4, Sunday

• The flight of the Angel, “Il Volo dell’Angelo”, in St. Mark’s Square.
• Mestre Carnival Street Show.
• Official Dinner Show and Ball, at Ca’ vendramin Calergi palace.

February 8, Thursday

• Ballad of the Masks with the “Beheading of the Bull”, in St. Mark’s Square.
• Wagon parade, in Marghera.

February 11, Sunday

• The Eagle flight, “Volo dell’Aquila”, in St. Mark’s Square.
• The flight of the donkey, in Mestre.
• The Best Masked Costume Contest – Award Ceremony.
• The Festa delle Marie 2018 – Award Ceremony.

February 13, Tuesday

• The “Svolo del Leon”, a tribute to the Lion of Saint Mark.