Voga Longa
The yearly equivalent of a marathon run on water. Voga Longa competitors must row 32 kilometers under 3.5 hours to receive a certificate of attendance at the finish line, but everybody with a human-powered vessel is welcome to participate (some foreigner teams take up to 10 hours to complete the journey just for the fun of it).
Regata ‘Storica
This is held on the first Sunday of every September. Celebrating a historic event from 1489, the regatta displays almost a hundred varieties of venetian boats from the city’s rich past. Large oarships, replicating ancient roman and medieval vessels, are rowed along the Canal Grande, followed by many smaller boats. There are several races, including a master championship for solo sculling in streamlined gondolini, painted in unusual white, pink, etc. colours. There are many excellent photo opportunities for this event.
La Biennale di Venezia
This is one of the most well known culture institutions. Two events organised by Biennale are the Art and Architecture International Exhibitions happening alternately (Architecture Biennale in even years, Art Biennale in odd) but other fields are also covered – contemporary theatre, dance, music, cinema.
Venice International Film Festival
This is the oldest film festival of the world. Screenings will take place at Palazzo del Cinema on Lungomare Marconi and other nearby places such as the Venice Casino.
Carnival of Venice
This is one of the most popular carnivals of the world. First organised in 1926, it has been rivived from the 1980s to become a major destination for people wearing masks and costumes from any kind of era. ‘Traditional’ (i.e. pre-19th century styles) can be seen right next to anything that takes your fancy, be it self-styled dresses, steampunk or outfits modeled on fiction or manga templates. The original fascination of carneval came from people being hidden behind their masks, allowing them to cross social boundaries and disregard social norms for some time.
Festa del Redentore (Feast of the Redeemer)
This is held on the third Sunday of July. It commemorates the end of the plague in Venice in 1577. The feast is mostly known for the fireworks display which begins on Saturday night at 10pm which is admired by thousand of Venetians from their boats in St. Mark basin or from their terraces. After the display, which lasts about 40 minutes, the young people of Venice head to the Lido to wait for dawn. Three regattas are held on Sunday. Religious celebrations are held in the Church of the Holy Redeemr on Saturday at 7:30 pm and on Sunday at 12:30 am and 8 am.
