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The Venetians still have a genuine love o pageantry. Most of the fiestas are long-established events, with their roots deep in Venetian history. The most spectacular among them are Carnival (Carnevale), the Festa del Redentore, the Regata Storica and the Vagalonga. FEBRUARY/MARCH At the end of February,
beginning of March, the traditional Venetian Carnival takes place.
Dressed up in historical costumes, wearing intriguing. MAY The Vogalonga, held on a Sunday in May ( the day changes from year to year ), is a marathon regatta open to anyone with a rowing boat. The course is 32km long, running from Sant’Elena at the eastern end of the city across the lagoon to Burano. The Festa Della Sensa on Ascension Day celebrates the annual occasion on which the doge would be rowed to the Lido in his ceremonial Bucintoro to cast a ring into the sea. This event symbolized the marriage of the city to the sea and today it is re-enacted with the mayor acting as the doge. The
Biennale, which is the largest
international exhibition of contemporary art, takes place from June
until the end of September in odd-numbered years. Exhibitions are held
in the national pavilions of the Giardini Pubblici ( Public Gardens )
and also in the Arsenale Roeries, the Granaries at the Zitelle and
Biennale also organizes the International Film Festival and a host of
other events apart from the art exhibitions. The centenary of the
Biennale was celebrated in 1995. JULY One
of the most colourful occasions of the year is the Festa
Del Redentore, held on the third Sunday of July in thanksgiving
for the ending of the plaque in 1567. A platoon of boats is built across
the Giudecca Canal, Linking up the Zattere to the Redentore Church on
the island of Giudecca. On the Saturday night hundreds of Venetians take
to the water in their garlanded boats while others wine, dine and make
mery on rafts, and ferries put out the festa. The climax is a fantastic
firework display which bursts over the lagoon. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER
The
International Film Festival, organised by
the Biennale, takes place at the palazzo del Cinema and the Astra Cinema
on the Lido at the end of August or beginner of September. One of the
major film festival in Europe, it lasts for two weeks and films are
shown day and night. The
first Sunday in September sees the spectacular Regata Storica. Festivities
consist of a splendid Grand Canal procession of tradition vessels and a
series of boat races along the course of the canal. The most popular and
competitive of these are the gondolier races, each boat or team
representing its island district.
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Carnival
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER The
main opera season starts at the beginning
of November. Throughout the autumn and winter concerts are held in
churches and plays are performed in theatres. The
main event of the season is the Festa Della Salute which, like the Festa
del Redentore, has its roots in an outbreak of the plaque. On 21
Novermber a pontoon bridge is built across the Grand Canal to the Salute
and it is the one time of the year when you can enter the church by the
main doors.
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