Venice Carnival is One of the World’s Most Popular Festivals

Updated: June 2023

Carnevale di Venezia, or the Carnival of Venice, is one of the world’s most popular festivals. Feats of acrobats, rhythms of musicians, hilarious antics of clowns, mysterious skills of magicians, vibrant costumes, and mile-long parades are what draw spectators from all over the globe to Venice. Participating in these memorable events and dancing in the masked balls is an experience of a lifetime that many of the rich and famous attend year after year. There are yearly variations to the festival, although the format remains the same.

Interesting facts about Venice Carnival:

• Best-loved festival
• Held in Venice, Italy
• One of the oldest festivities
• An annual event
• Starts 40 days before Easter and ends a day before Ash Wednesday
• Welcomes people from anywhere in the world.

Its Origin:

In 1162, the Repubblica della Serenissima (the ancient name given to Venice) was victorious and defeated Ultrico, patriarch of Aquilela. The celebration was manifested by carousing, dancing, and reunions in San Marco Square. The multicultural population of Venice, magicians, and even businessmen joined in the merrymaking.

Meaning of “carnival” – The term carnevale means “farewell to meat,” symbolizing a goodbye party to steaks and stews given up in the Catholic tradition of fasting during the Lenten season. The “masked portion” of the celebration has an even older connotation. It was attributed to Carrus Navalis during the Roman fertility festival honoring Saturn. Men and women in their fancy clothes and wearing masks go around in their horse-drawn carriages shouting and singing obscene songs.

The schedule: At its onset, the festival began the day after Christmas and reached its highest peak on the day before Ash Wednesday, which was called Mardi Gras. The same schedule was followed for centuries. In the 17th century, revelry included music, wearing colorful garments & masks, and participation by the middle class. The wearing of masks was intended to hide discrepancies between social classes.

The strategy: In 1970, the Venetian government wanted to bring back the history and culture of Venice using this traditional Carnival as its master strategy. Their efforts were successful as today more than 3 million visitors come to join the festival yearly.

Its popularity: Since 1980, Carnival in Venice has been synonymous with fun. People of all ages and circumstances flock to this Venetian capital to attend private and public masked balls. They occupy venues where music and dancing are non-stop day and night. Theatrical performances and an array of ancient games are organized for the amusement of both Venetians and visitors.

Happenings during the Carnival:

Lavish entertainment is presented during the occasion. Commedia dell’Arte plays, musical performances, parades, and masked balls are highlights of the celebration. However, wearing a mask constitutes its essential ingredient. In the long run, masks became a symbol of the event. During carnival season every excess was permitted and wearing masks made one’s actions incognito while breaking down all social divisions. People with intentions of carousing, dancing, partying, playing games, and singing converge on open spaces and even spill out onto streets.

The Masks:

Venetians spend a great part of their year donning masks. It was allowed on Ascension Day (April or May), then from October 5 to December 26 until Ash Wednesday (February or March). Mask wearers were prohibited from carrying weapons which were strictly enforced by police.

Maskmakers/Mascherari: They organized their own guilds & have their own statute dated April 10th 1436. Made up mostly of painters and sign painters’ assistants they draw design and paint faces onto plaster using different shapes colors and other details. For their service they occupy special positions in Venetian society.

Materials of masks: The materials used in making the masks are leather or with the original glass technique. Original masks were simple, and the designs were both practical and symbolic. Nowadays, most masks are made using gesso & gold leaf and intricately hand-painted with natural feathers and gems as decorations.

Types of Venetian masks: Bauta is a whole-face mask with no mouth but a stubborn chin and few decorations. Other bautas cover only the forehead, nose, and upper cheek, allowing the wearer to eat and talk freely. This type of mask is the favorite choice of wearers during the festival. In previous centuries, the volto, meaning “face,” was most commonly used as it was the easiest mask to make.

The Masked Ball:

The masked ball is the climax of the season. Fun lovers re-live the golden age of Venice when balls were regularly scheduled and attended by the affluent. With their masks, the lower class mixes freely with aristocrats. Tourists find these masked balls a wonderful opportunity to mix with people from all classes.

Where balls are held: During the season, spectacular balls take place in different venues around the city – top-class hotels organize masked balls for their guests or there are designated venues for the purpose.

Attending a masked ball: Most masked balls take place in expensive places, so one must have the right amount of cash to join in the fun. Tickets are sold in advance to avoid overcrowding the venue. So visitors must set aside an extra budget for this. To become part of the crowd, you have to wear a lavish costume and provide a mask. The last ingredient is to enjoy.

Come to Venice and be a part of the happy crowd. Venice Carnival is synonymous with fun and will provide you with memories that will last a lifetime.

In summary, Venice Carnival is an event that offers a wide variety of entertainment options including masked balls that take place in different venues around the city. These balls offer tourists an opportunity to mix with people from all classes while wearing lavish costumes and masks. The materials used in making these masks include leather or glass techniques while most modern masks are made using gesso & gold leaf and intricately hand-painted with natural feathers and gems as decorations. Attending a masked ball requires purchasing tickets in advance and setting aside an extra budget for this purpose.