Venice Carnival Dates

About the dates above:

In recent years, the Carnival management has staged a preview weekend before the traditional 11-day Carnival period.

However, the core carnival events (including the "Flight of the Angel" on the first Saturday of Carnevale) always take place during the main part of the festival, which starts on a Saturday  and runs through the Martedi Grasso or "Fat Tuesday." (The latter is  a day that combines drunken revelries with a peaceful nighttime boat parade on the Grand Canal. It's probably the worst evening to be at Carnival: We once saw a body floating in a canal the next morning, and the police report said the man was drunk when he went into the water.)

For more information on the Carnevale di Venezia, see these Venice for Visitors articles:

• Venice Carnival - Carnevale di Venezia
  In Venice during February, "Who was that masked man?' isn't a question about the Lone Ranger.

• Venice Carnival Masks
  Whether you're headed for Carnevale or enjoying it vicariously at home, you can learn about Venetian Carnival masks--and even order them online.

Also see our archived blog coverage, which includes photos of daily life in Venice during Carnival:

• Venice Travel Blog: Events
  Most of these blog posts are about Carnival, and you'll find many human-interest photos that go beyond the familiar Carnival clichés.

• Maggie in Venice: Carnevale di Venezia
  A Bearded Collie gets up close and personal with Carnival performers (and the occasional bout of acqua alta or flooding in the Piazza San Marco).