Venice Events and Festivals 2014 / 2015
(Venice, Veneto, Italy)
Leading magazines for upcoming Venice festivals and events are regularly published and there are weekly event guides that are readily available.
They contain up-to-date listings of events throughout Italy, with a focus on Venice and are aimed specifically at tourists and visitors.
These magazines are a useful source for shopping, dining and entertainment - providing you with a huge choice of things to see and do in Venice, Italy.
National Public Holidays
- 1st January - New Year's Day
- 6th January - Epiphany
- Early April - Easter Monday
- 25th April - Liberation Day and St. Mark's Feast Day
- 1st May - Labour Day
- 29th June - Local Feast Day
- 15th August - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- 1st November - All Saints' Day
- 8th December - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- 24th December - Christmas Eve
- 25th December - Christmas Day
- 26th December - Boxing Day / St. Stephen's Day
January
- New Year's Day - festivities on the beach at the Lido
- Regatta delle Befane - 6th January, this is the first of more than 100 regattas on the lagoon throughout the year
February
- Bacanal del Gnoco - 11th February, a traditional masked procession in Verona, with masked balls held in town squares
- Carnevale - probably the most major event held in Venice. Venetians wear spectacular costumes and masks during this week-long party in the run up to Ash Wednesday
March
- La Vecia - mid-lent, where Gardone and Gargnano on Lake Garda host festivals and an image of a woman is burnt on a bonfire, remembering the past 'Hag Trials' that were held in medieval times
April
- Festa di San Marco - 25th April , the feast day of the city's patron saint, when men are supposed to give their loved ones a bunch of roses. There is also a gondoliers' regatta and the Lion of St. Mark's golf championship
May
- Festa della Sparesca - 1st May, this regatta and festival is held on the Cavillino in the lagoon
- Festa Medioevale del vino Soave Bianco Soave - 5th May, medieval-style celebrations of the appointment of Castillan of Suavia, including historical processions, music in the town square and theatrical performances
- Vogalonga - this popular rowing regatta has over 3,000 participants, rowing a 32 km / 20 mile route from the Bacino di San Marco up to Burano and back down the Grand Canal via Cannaregio
- Vapollicellore - 8th May, festival of local wine in Cellore, with many displays and exhibitions
- Festa della Sensa - second Sunday of May, this is the Feast of Ascension, with regattas taking place on the Lido
- Palio delle Quattro Antiche Repubbliche Marinare - late May, the former maritime republics of Amalfi, Genoa, Pisa and Venice take turns to host the very colourful and historic annual 'Regatta of the Four Ancient Maritime Republics'
June
- Serenissima - first Saturday in June, this event is a fast, offshore Grand Prix motorboat race
- Sagra di Sant'Antonio - 13th June, the Feast of St. Anthony is celebrated in Prato della Valle with a lively fair
- Biennale - to September, this is the world's largest exhibition of contemporary art and runs every other year, in odd-numbers years
- Regatta di Santi Giovanni e Paolo - third Sunday in June, a traditional sailing regatta in Carole
- Sagra di San Pietro in Castello - last weekend of June, this busy, local festival includes music, drinking and eating at the steps of the church that used to be Venice's cathedral
- Marciliana - late June, this medieval pageant commemorates the siege of Chioggia by Genoa in 1380 and also includes rowing and archery events
- Venezia Biennale - to November, this major international exhibition of audio arts take place every even-numbered year in the Giardini Pubblici and first started in 1895
July
- Festa del Redentore - third weekend, the Feast of Redeemer is marked by a large regatta on the Grand Canal, and fireworks
- Opera Festival - to September, a festival of music, dance, drama and opera, in the Roman Arena and churches
- Shakespeare Festival - celebrating the works of this world-famous playwright
- Sardella al Pal del Vo - 22nd July, moonlit sardine fishing on Lake Garda at Pal del Vo, with illuminated boats. The catch is cooked and eaten immediately
August
- Village Festivals - during August, there are many local summer festivals throughout Veneto, often including boat races and fireworks
- Palio di Feltre - first week in August, feasts, horse races and medieval games commemorate Feltre's inclusion into the Venetian empire
- Festa dell'Assunta - 6th to 14th August, a truly spectacular nine-day celebration in Treviso, with dance, music, poetry, entertainment and many competitions
- Mostra del Cinema di Venezia - late August / early September, the large Venice International Film Festival is held annually at the Palazzo del Cinema on the Lido and is the city's version of Cannes
September
- Regatta Storica - first Sunday in September, this historic gondola race first took place in 1274 and starts at Castello
- Vivaldi Festival - this is a popular festival of contemporary music
- Partita a Scacchi - second weekend in September, a human chess game is played in medieval costume in the chequerboard main square at Maròstica
- Palio dei Dieci Comuni - a pageant and horse race celebrates the liberation of the town of Montagnana
October
- Venice Marathon - this race is enjoyed by crowds of spectators
- Bardolino Grape Festival - first Sunday in October, the festival is held to celebrate the harvest
- Festa di Mosto - first weekend in October, the Feast of the Must on Sant'Erasmo, where grapes are still pressed by foot
November
- St. Martin's Day - a popular fair in the streets of the city
- Festa della Madonna della Salute - 21st November, this procession over a bridge of boats across the Grand Canal to the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute gives thanks for the end of the great plague in 1631
December
- Opera and Ballet - to January, this time of year is the opera and ballet season at La Fenicee and Teatro Goldoni
- St. Stephen's Day - December 26th, many Venetians visit nativity scenes in churches throughout Venice on this public holiday
- New Year's Eve - December 31st, masses are celebrated in churches and traditionally, broken crockery is tossed from balconies. There are also many parties and general celebrations