2027.01.23 — 2027.02.09 · Coming soon
Venice Carnival 2027
The 2027 Venice Carnival runs from 23 January to 9 February, with the whole historic centre as its stage: a boat parade on the Grand Canal, balls in the squares, mask workshops in the alleys, plus an official dinner and private balls that are ticketed separately. The 2027 theme and programme were not yet announced when checked on 2 October, so the events below are 2026 examples.
Last year the carnival opened at 11am on the Sunday of its opening weekend with a boat parade: about a hundred richly decorated rowing boats, steered by oarsmen in period costume, from Punta della Dogana to the Rialto, led by a papier-mâché Pantegana (Venetian for a big rat).
The finish brought music, dancing and traditional food, and the carnival began on the water.
The Bauta is usually worn with a black cloak, covering the face and body, and once let people of different ranks attend gatherings anonymously. The traditional Moretta is an oval mask of black velvet held in place by biting a button on its back, so the wearer cannot easily speak.
Once you know where these two masks come from, the costumes on the street are more than feathers and sequins.
As last year’s carnival began, workshops including Ca’ Macana, Tragicomica and La Corte dei Miracoli held activities in making and decorating Venetian masks.
The masks you see in the street can be seen being made and decorated here; the carnival’s own website also introduces the mask-makers.
Checked · 2026-10-02
Swipe to explore · Tap to enlarge
2020 · Onderkokturk · Photo source · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Preview cropped; enlarge for full image. · Report image rights
The 2027 theme and programme were not yet announced when checked on 2 October; the events mentioned are 2026 examples.
Free street viewing does not mean every event is free; the official dinner, private balls, mask and costume hire and Venice’s visitor charges are all extra.
The centre is crowded at weekends, and on big days such as the boat parade the water-bus lines are diverted (lines 1 and 2 were rerouted on parade day in 2026), so read the day’s notices before you set out.
Ask before photographing someone in a mask.
For this multi-area event, use the current official guide; a verified map is not yet embedded.
Open official guide ↗2027-01-23–2027-02-09; consult the official calendar for individual operating dates and times.
Europe/RomeWalk or take a vaporetto from Venezia Santa Lucia; busy bridges may have directional controls.
Street viewing free; balls and dinner shows sold separately. Private balls, costume hire and any city visitor charge are separate.
Street viewing free; balls and dinner shows sold separately
Check current official accessible routes and companion policies.
Dates and entry details refer to this edition; individual sessions may differ.
Onderkokturk · CC BY-SA 4.0 Image source
Carnevale di Venezia / Vela
The 2027 dates are confirmed, with performance and mask-event schedules being announced progressively. Photos show the 2020 and 2010 editions.
Information checked on 2026-10-02
Suggest a correction ↗Pio Abad draws Benin bronzes taken to the British Museum beside everyday household objects; Gala Porras-Kim asks how restoration changes a museum piece.
Italy · Venice
With Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu as curators and a title that simply says “Do Architecture”, six months of exhibits in the Giardini and the Arsenale are about how buildings are really made.
Italy · Venice
One of Japan’s three great illuminations: over five million lights turned into wisteria, snowmen and reflections.
Japan · Ashikaga
Share your experience