Carnival of Venice

Venice · festivals · masks · tradition

Masks everywhere. During Carnival, people wear ornate masks and fancy costumes to hide their identities. The tradition dates back hundreds of years when Venetians wanted to celebrate freely without people knowing who they were.

Festival in Italy. The Carnival happens every year in Venice, a beautiful city built on islands in northeastern Italy. Thousands of visitors come from all over the world to see the incredible costumes and celebrate together.

Ends on Shrove Tuesday. The Carnival finishes on Shrove Tuesday, the day right before Ash Wednesday when the Christian season of Lent begins. Lent is a time when many people give up certain things, so Carnival is a final chance to party and have fun.

Fancy costumes. People dress in elaborate, colorful outfits inspired by 18th-century Venetian fashion. You'll see ball gowns, silk cloaks, feathered masks, and jeweled decorations that take weeks to create.

Big celebration. The streets and plazas of Venice fill with music, dancing, parades, and parties during Carnival. It's like the whole city becomes a giant, magical costume party.