From that moment every year on the 13th December night children come to churches for the “Eyes Blessing” ritual and, still now, on the 12th December night they wait for the Santa Lucia’s arrival in their homes: she traditionally arrives with her flying burro called Gastaldo carrying many gifts. Before going to sleep children leave a dish full of food both for Santa Lucia and for her burro and, when they get up on morning, they find this dish full of sweets (like the traditional “S. Lucia pastries” made in different shapes) together with the sugared almonds called “ghiaia dell’Adige” (“Adige’s gravel”).

The “S. Lucia pastries”

From the last century there also is the traditional Santa Lucia’s trade fair that occurs still now before the 13th of December in Bra’ Square where you can find the “bancheti de Santa Lussia”: stands full of toys and of various desserts.

The “bancheti de Santa Lussia”

This fair is traditionally ornamented by the presence of the sculpture by Olivieri: a big enlightened Christmas star that starts from the inner part of the Arena to arrive at the centre of Bra’ Square inviting you to visit the traditional Nativity Sets International Exhibition organized in the Arena.

The big enlightened Christmas star by Olivieri

• The International Exhibition of Cinematic Art (61 editions)
• The International Art Exhibition (50 editions)
• The International Architecture Exhibition (9 editions)
• The Music Festival (48 editions)
• The Theatre Festival (36 editions)
• The Ballet Festival (2 editions)

Thanks to ASAC, the historical archive of contemporary art, the Biennial takes care of the preservation of all the documentation about its history.
From the 7th of July to the 22th of November 2009, there will be the fifty-third International Art Exhibition.

"MAKING WORLDS" in the 53rd International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennial

The Historical Regatta is still now one of the most picturesque and involving moment of the urban life: this celebration has the power of charming tourists by exciting at the same time the local inhabitants.

A decorated vessel in the Regatta

This feast begins with an historical parade of typical sixteenth-century boats. At the head of this parade there is the Bucintoro, the representative vessel of Venice.

Than there is the real competition that is characterized by the involvement of the spectators who participate addressing encouragement shouts to their  favourites.

The various boats that are involved in the competition are the following ones: the Gondolino, the Caorlina, the Mascareta, the Pupparin, and, of course, the gondola that is the most famous Venetian vessel.

These are the competitions that attract the numerous spectators:

• Regatta of Champions on gondolini
• Regatta on Caorline
• Regatta of women on mascarate
• Regatta of kids on pupparini

At the end of all the competitions the winners are rewarded with particular prizes that are represented by an amount of money and by a flag: the colour of the flag changes according to the placing of each competitor.

This year the Historical Regatta will take place on the 6th of September according a precise schedule.

Festa della Sensa

The Festa della Sensa  (Feast of the Sensa) has very ancient origins and it was a celebration moment of the Republic of Venice that occurred on the day of Christ’s Ascension (“Sensa” in the Venetian dialect).

For this occasion, there was the organization of the Fiera della Sensa (Fair of Sensa) that attracted many European tourists. This fair took place in San Marco Square for 15 days and it was possible to find there international rare goods and curiosities. The feast culminated with a particular ceremony that celebrated the power of Venice upon the see. The Doge went on board of the “Bucintoro” (his representative vessel) in order to reach the entrance of San Nicolò port where he threw in the see a golden ring.

Today this feast is a real historical commemoration. The metaphor of the marriage between the city and the see is always the same: the mayor, with the other religious and civil authorities, does exactly the same thing that the Doge was used to do in the past.

The ceremony is today accompaigned by the Doge’s parade in San Marco square, by the little market of the Sensa in the church of San Nicolò di Lido, by the Venetian rowing competitions, by the water parade of the rowing associations, by the feast in the Fort of Sant’Andrea and by several other events. This confirms that this feast is still today an important gathering moment that highlights the Venetian history and traditions: this is the feast of the city and of its relation with the see.

Because of the absence of a bridge, you can reach this island only by ferry boat (vaporetto).

Since more than 500 years, in July this place is enlivened by the traditional Festa del Redentore (Feast of the Saviour). The Church of the Saviour (Chiesa del Redentore) is one of the most important Palladio’s masterpieces: it was built during the XVIth century in order to solemnly invoke the end of the pestilence that was flogging the city.

The Church of the Saviour

This feast aims at celebrating the end of that terrible period and, in fact, it occurs the third Sunday of July (the day in which in 1577 the Doge Sebastiano Venier announced the end of the pestilence) even if celebrations start the day before, on Saturday. 

The church services take place in Sunday and they finish with the gondola regatta called the Regata del Redentore.

Regata del Redentore

But the most spectacular celebrations occur on Saturday.  During the sunset, all the decorated boats arrive in the San Marco dock and in the Canal of the Giudecca waiting for the traditional breathtaking firework show that enlightens the Venetian sky.

Festa del Redentore firework show

The fireworks show on the Venetian lagoon

This is an unique feast that attracts every year thousands of tourists that spend the night eating on boat surrounded by this beautiful atmosphere.

The Carnival of Venice, is the best known for the charm that exercises and the mystery that continues to exist even now that 900 years have elapsed from the first document that refers to this famous festival. You have memories of the festivities of Carnival since 1094, under the dogato of Vitale Falier, in a document that deals of public entertainment in the days preceding Lent. The official document declaring the Carnival as public celebration dates 1296 when the Senate declared a public holiday on the last day of Lent. However, the carnival has much more ancient traditions that point to the ancestral cult of transition from winter to spring, cults present in almost all societies, if you think to Latin Saturnalia or Dionysian cults.
In the past, the Carnival of Venice allowed Venetians to dedicate themselves completely to fun; boxes were built in the main areas, along the Riva degli Schiavoni, in Piazzetta and Piazza San Marco. People flocked to admire the most different attractions: jugglers, acrobats, dancing animals,  acrobats; trumpets, fifes and drums were almost consumed by the use and the hawkers sold nuts, chestnuts, fritòle (fritters ) and cakes of all kinds.

THE MASKS

Along the streets and the channels “Good morning Mrs Mask” “Buongiorno Siora Maschera” was the greeting: personal identity, gender, social class no longer existed, you joined the Great Illusion of Carnival in a place, unique in the world, where anything can happen, where every corner does not cease to enchant.
The craftsmen who produced mask masks were called maschereri since the time of the Doge Foscari, and they held their statute dated April 1436. They belonged to the fringe of painters and were helped in their profession by TARGHERI that printed painted faces over the stucco, with great attention of details.
During the Carnival, the Venetians granted transgressions of all sorts and masks were used to maintain anonymity and to allow any prohibited game, both by men and by women. Even priests and nuns took advantage of the masks for hiding and to transgress making love escapes.

Bauta

The Bauta consists of a black cloak called tabarro, a black hat which is worn on the head above the tabarro and a white mask called Larva (the name derives from the Latin Larva which means “ghost” or even “mask”) .

Bauta mask

Moretta

It was an oval mask of black velvet and was used by ladies when they went to visit the nuns. The Moretta fashion, imported from France, spread quickly in Venice because it is a mask suitable for feminine  features especially when it was adorned with veils, flaky hats.
Moretta was a dumb mask as it had a button into the mouth.

Moretta mask

Tabarro

Tabarro consisted of a cape than doubled over the shoulders, could be of cloth or silk, depending on the season, white or blue, scarlet for a gala occasion, sometimes decorated with frills, fringes and staple “to the military” It was much used by women, of dark colour in winter and white in summer.

Tabarro mask

THE FLIGHT OF THE DOVE

The Venetians used to build a huge dove filled with confetti, which is done to fly from the Bell Tower to the Clock Tower, suspended to a cable. At the arrival it breaks and corianders scatter in the air. By tradition, the dove flight would predict the performance of the year to come.
Each day is marked by numerous cultural events and fun in general. The last day of this traditional Carnival is naturally greeted by a phantasmagorical fireworks. A show that gives the city a special look, with multicolored fireworks, which are reflected on the canals and the lagoon, giving the impression of living in a magical atmosphere, alien to reality.

The dove flight