annual events in venice italy
2017
Here follows the list of some annual events celebrated every year (commonly referred to as "la Biennale". the Visual Arts Biennale alternates with the Architecture Biennale) in Venice and of general interest; among them, the Carnival of Venice, the Historical Regatta, public holidays.
More details and updates are available for the VeniceWord Club members;
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Calendar of events for 2017 - Update in progress:
- 1st January 2017: the Ibernisti, 1st swimming of the Year at the Lido
- 6 January. Epiphany: Religious festivity and Befane Regatta
- 11- 28 February 2017: Venice Carnival. Until Ashes Wednesday
- 14 February: St.Valentine's day
- 2 April 2017, Su e Zo per i Ponti (up and down the bridges), a non-competitive race open to everybody: young and old, school parties, families. The fascinating 10-km course that takes off from Saint Mark's square and unwinds through the narrow streets and squares of Venice
- 16 April 2017. Easter Day. Public holiday AND start of Daylight Saving Time (DST)
- 17 April 2017: Easter Monday. Public holiday.
- 25 April. Liberation Day and feast of Venice patron saint; in these days Italy celebrates its liberation from the Nazis at the end of 2nd World War. Public holiday. In Venice the feast day honoring the patron saint of Venice is also called "festa del Bocolo": men are presenting their partner and/or women of their family with a red rose (the "bòcolo", blossom)
- 1st May. Labor Day. Public holiday.
- 13 May - 26 November 2017: Biennale Arti Visive
- 5 June 2017: Pentecost
- 28 May - 27 November 2017: Biennale Architettura
- 23 June - 1st July 2017: Biennale Danza
- 27-28 May 2017: Festa della Sensa
- 4 June 2017: Vogalonga (rowing marathon fot boats of all kinds in the lagoon). Popular friendly race from the lagoon to Burano, and back down through the Grand Canal.
- June: Sant'Erasmo Regatta
- June: Saints Giovanni e Paolo Regatta
- June: Feast of San Pietro di Castello
- 15-16 July 2017: Redeemer's Feast, Festa del Redentore
- 25 July - 12 August 2017: Biennale Teatro
- July: Murano Regatta
- July: Malamocco Regatta
- August: Pellestrina Regatta
- 30 August - 9 September 2017: Venice Film Festival. Fiction films, documentaries and shorts are screened, with the Golden Lion awarded for best film.
- 3 September 2017 (first Sunday of September): Regata Storica (Historical regatta). This annual boat race, a test of the gondolieri's mettle, takes place on the Grand Canal. Boats are decorated, spirits run high and the competition is fierce.
- 29 September - 8 October 2017: Biennale Musica
- September: Burano Regatta
- 22 October 2017: Venice Marathon, international marathon on the classical distance of 42,195 kilometres, goes on the attractive course that from Stra arrives to Venice. The athletes run along the River Brenta, carry on for Marghera e Mestre to the Liberty Bridge, that leads them in Venice. From this point the marathon continues inside the city.
- 21 November: Feast of Madonna della Salute. Religious event. The Basilica della Santa Maria della Salute was built in thanks for the city's deliverance from the the plague of 1630-31. Today, a procession across the Grand Canal ends at the church, where participants pray for the sick.
- 8 December: Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Public holiday.
- 8 December: Concerto dell'Immacolata
- 12-20 December 2017: Hanukkah
- 25 December. Christmas. Religious festivity and public holiday.
- 26 December. St. Stephen's Day. Religious festivity and public holiday.