Veneto Festivals

Venice - Historical Regatta - Photo © Jerm-n-Ang

Veneto Festivals

This is a partial list of local festivals, fairs and costumed events. To verify the exact dates, please contact the local tourist board.

• Asiago: Parade to Commemorate the End of the Plague (May).

• Badia Polesine: Springtime Kite Competition (April).

• Bassano del Grappa: Asparagus Festival (April and May, info +39-424-228-651).

• Battaglia Terme: Remada a Seconda Pageant Play (May).

• Belluno: Traditional Easter Games (March).

• Bibione: International Folklore Festival (August).
  
  Living Nativity Scene, Church of S.M. Assunta (December)

• Boccasette: Fish Festival (July and August).

• Along the Brenta River: Riverside Marathon (first Sunday in October).

• Campo di Cadore: "Lioda" Competition (December).

• Caorle: Historical Re-evocation of the Rape of the Damsels (September)
  
  "Madonna dell'Angelo" festival (July).

• Chioggia: Fish Festival with Costumed Sailboat Races (July).

• Cibiana di Cadore: Murales: three famous artists paint the town's history on its walls (July).

• Concordia Sagittaria: Beer Festival (May and June).

• Este: Palio Games and Races (September).
  
  Colli Euganei DOC Wine Festival (September).

• Feltre: Historical Horse Race (August).

• Fregona: Mountaineer Competition (July).

• Garda: Sardine Festival: Food, Music and Folklore on Boats in the Lake (July 15-31).
  
  Historical Horse Race and Parade (August).

• Lamon: Bean Festival (September).

• Marostica (Vicenza): Human Chess Game.
  PARTITA a SCACCHI con PERSONAGGI VIVENTI
  Second weekend of September in even-numbered years
  Chess game is played in the town square by living pawns in period costume.

• 
  Montagnana Parade

• Montagnana: Historical Parade and Horse Race (September).

• Padova: 22 km. west of Venice. Late February or early March. Carnival of Paduan university reaching back to 1222. Wild celebrations and merry-making in costumes and masks (February).

• Rosolina: Festival of San Rocco (August).

• Rotzo: Potato Festival (August and September).

• Sappada: Carnival (February).

• Treviso: Rogo della Vecia Bonfire and Festival (March).
  
  Radicchio Festival (December).

• Trichiana: Brusa la Vecia Traditional Bonfire (March).

• Valdobbiadene: National Spumante Festival (September).

• 
  Venice Historical Regatta - Photo © testa_di_uovo

• Venice: Carnival (February/March).
  Celebrations in costumes and masks, entertainment in streets and squares. Music, mimes and fireworks.
  
  Historical Regattas (Vogalunga, May; Ascension Regatta, May; Sant'Erasmo Regatta, June; Redentore Regatta, July; Historical Regatta, September).
  
  IL REDENTORE (The Feast of the Redeemer) Third Sunday in July
  Procession of gondolas commemorating the end of the epidemic of 1575.
  
  First Saturday after "Ferragosto (August 15)." Flottila of gondolas down Grand Canal, accompanied by music. Known as Fresco Notturno (August).
  
  HISTORICAL REGATTA First Sunday in September
  Traditional competition between two-oar racing gondolas and procession of ceremonial boats. Most colorful regatta in the world. The Historical Regatta includes decorated gondolas and other boats, preceded up length of Grand Canal by boats from period of Venetian Republic.

• Verona: Bacanal del Gnoco Historical Parade and Masked Ball (February).
  
  Green Robe Historical Parade and Race (May).
  
  Opera season and Shakespeare festival draw multitudes of tourists and natives (July and August).

• Vicenza: Classical drama in Teatro Olimpico, organized by Centro Internazionale di Studi Andrea Palladio (March).

List of festivals in part courtesy of www.hostetler.net