Carnival of Venice

For other uses, see Carnival of Venice (disambiguation).
Carnival of Venice
Carnevale di Venezia
Carneval de Venèsia
The Venetian Carnival tradition is most famous for its distinctive masks.
StatusActive
GenreCarnival
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Venice
CountryItaly
Inaugurated1979 (1979) (modern event)
FounderCity of Venice
AttendanceUp to 3 million

The Carnival of Venice (Italian: Carnevale di Venezia; Venetian: Carneval de Venèsia) is an annual festival held in Venice, Italy, famous throughout the world for its elaborate costumes and masks. The Carnival ends on Shrove Tuesday (Martedì Grasso or Mardi Gras), which is the day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.

The Carnival traces its origins to the Middle Ages, existing for several centuries until it was abolished in 1797. The tradition was revived in 1979,[1] and the modern event now attracts approximately 3 million visitors annually.[2]

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