From 31 January to 17 February, Venice becomes an open-air stage once again: between Piazza San Marco, the Arsenale and the campi, with the Festa delle Marie and the scent of fritoe and galani drifting through the calli.
In Venice, Carnival is not simply a celebration; it is a different way of inhabiting the city. On days when masks appear from early morning and the evening seems to linger a little longer, Venice allows itself the luxury of being theatrical without effort. The 2026 edition runs from 31 January to 17 February and embraces an unapologetically “epic” theme: “Olympus – The Origins of the Game”, a tribute to the Olympic year, woven with myth, challenge and wonder.
Below you’ll find a clear, narrative guide to this year’s key events, the ones truly worth marking down, as well as the culinary traditions that, more than any programme, tell the story of Venice in February.
Opening weekend: the city lights up (31 January – 1 February)
The first weekend is conceived as an invitation rather than a marathon: events scattered across the city, campi turning into stages, and that unmistakable “beginning of a story” energy.
On Saturday 31 January, Piazza San Marco sets the tone with the Carnival Grand Ball with Bridgerton (17:00–19:00): costumes, choreography, and a hint of an eighteenth-century salon, under the Venetian sky.
On Sunday 1 February comes the most quintessentially Venetian tradition of all: the Festa Veneziana – Water Parade (approximately 11:00–12:30), a procession of traditional boats along the Grand Canal, led by the famous papier-mâché “Pantegana”.
That same weekend also brings the preview of the Venice Carnival Street Show, with street artists and performances spread between Venice and Mestre: the kind of Carnival that comes to meet you, the one you stumble upon in a campo and end up watching without meaning to stop.
The Marie: a Venetian ritual of elegance and memory
If you’ve never seen them before, “the Marie” might sound like a slightly mysterious reference. In reality, they are one of the oldest stories woven into the Venetian Carnival, revived in modern times and now a true narrative thread running through the entire celebration.
The Festa delle Marie recalls a historical episode: according to tradition, in 973 twelve young Venetian women were kidnapped during the festivities connected to the Purification of Mary, and later freed after a pursuit led by the Doge. From then on, for centuries, Venice commemorated the event through rituals that evolved over time, eventually becoming the elegant and symbolic re-enactment we know today.
Today, the Marie are the Carnival’s “ambassadors”: stage presence, craftsmanship, costume and ceremony. Following them means watching Venice perform a part of itself, gracefully, proudly, and with that unmistakable sense of theatre.
Following the Marie: the 2026 highlights
In 2026, the Marie’s journey unfolds in a few well-defined moments.
It begins on Saturday 31 January, with the selection of the twelve Marie at the Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista (as per the official programme, from 15:00).
The most iconic scene, unmistakably Venetian, comes on Saturday 7 February, with the traditional water procession and the official presentation in Piazza San Marco.
Then comes the more theatrical chapter: on Monday 16 February, the Maria of the Year is chosen at the Apollinee Rooms of Teatro La Fenice. The story reaches its public finale on Tuesday 17 February, with the official proclamation in Piazza San Marco.
The Arsenale by night: “The Call of Olympia”, the water show
If you’re looking for the 2026 edition’s most jaw-dropping moment, the Arsenale is its theatrical heart. The Arsenale Water Show – “The Call of Olympia” runs from 6 to 8 February and again from 12 to 17 February, with two performances each evening at 18:45 and 21:00.
This is Venice at its most elegantly spectacular: water, light, live performance, and that rare feeling of witnessing something that could only belong here.
Commedia dell’Arte in the “campi”: wooden stages and theatre “as it once was”
Alongside the headline events, there’s a more quintessentially Venetian Carnival: popular theatre, masks, and quick-witted comedy. L’Arte della Commedia brings performances to wooden stages built “as they were centuries ago”, from Saturday 7 February 2026, across Campo Santo Stefano, Piazza San Marco, and other campi.
It’s perfect if you want a Carnival that isn’t just a photo opportunity, but something you feel, rhythm, repartee, and true presence.
Carnival’s historic rites: “Taglio della testa del toro”
One of the oldest re-enactments is the “Taglio della testa del toro”, listed in the programme for Thursday 12 February in Piazza San Marco: a medieval rite rooted in the history of the Serenissima, now presented as a staged ceremony rich in symbols, costumes and storytelling.
Palace Venice: the masked Official Dinner Show
For those who want to experience Carnival’s most glamorous, eighteenth-century side, there is the Official Dinner Show – “Il Canto di Ambrosia” at Ca’ Vendramin Calergi, scheduled for 7 and 8 February and again from 12 to 17 February, starting at 21:00 (and lasting well into the night).
It’s an experience with its own rituals, beginning with the dress code: historical costume and mask. Here, you don’t simply watch, you step into the scene.
Culinary traditions: fritoe, galani and the sweet scent of winter
If there’s one simple gesture that instantly puts you in Carnival mode, it’s stepping into a pastry shop and choosing “by eye”, unhurriedly. In Venice at this time of year, sweets aren’t a side note, they’re the soundtrack.
The undisputed queens are “fritoe venexiane“: round, golden, often with raisins and pine nuts, but also found filled with custard, zabaglione, or chocolate. Alongside them you’ll see castagnole, small and utterly irresistible, and galani (elsewhere called chiacchiere or crostoli): thin, crisp ribbons dusted with icing sugar.
A truly Venetian piece of advice: try them in more than one place. The same recipe changes from one hand to another, and every counter has its own signature.
Due dritte finali per vivere bene il Carnevale (senza rincorrerlo)
Il Carnevale di Venezia non premia chi vuole vedere tutto. Premia chi sceglie bene. Un grande evento la sera (Arsenale, se ti piace lo spettacolo), un rito di tradizione (corteo acqueo, Marie), e poi spazio libero per ciò che succede fuori programma: una maschera incontrata in un sottoportico, una scena di teatro improvvisa in un campo, una frittella mangiata camminando.
Two final tips for enjoying Carnival (without chasing it)
The Carnival of Venice doesn’t reward those who try to see everything. It rewards those who choose well: one major evening event (the Arsenale, if you love spectacle), one tradition to follow (the water parade, the Marie), and then plenty of room for what happens off-programme, a masked figure glimpsed under a portico, an impromptu theatre scene in a campo, a fritella eaten while wandering.
Carnival in Venice is at its best when you leave a little space for the unexpected. Mark a few key moments, then let the city do the rest: a mask in the right light, music drifting from a doorway, the warm sweetness of a “fritoa” in your hand. And when the day winds down, the most Venetian luxury is simple, coming home slowly, with the city still on you.
