Venice Carnival 2022: all the events

Among the narrow streets of the city, still decorated for the holidays, the first masks are peeping out, waiting for the most awaited event of the year: the Carnival of Venice. For Carnival 2022, Venice is proposing a series of initiatives that will take place throughout the entire municipal area, from the old city to the Venetian mainland and the islands in the lagoon, thus creating a widespread programme, in accordance with the pandemic situation and national and local guidelines. Carnival 2022 will be a multidimensional event, where the physicality of the traditional event in presence is integrated with the virtual part, using technology to involve the entire Carnival audience, including those who wish to participate remotely, from all over the world.

The 2022 edition will take place from Saturday 12 February to Tuesday 1 March under the Artistic Direction of Massimo Checchetto, set designer of the Teatro La Fenice, and will be a multidimensional event, both physical and digital. The title chosen for this edition is "Remember the Future", which takes its inspiration from a quote by Salvador Dali: And most of all I remember the future.

It should be pointed out that in this pandemic context, the 2022 event will not include certain traditional events that historically generate gatherings. In particular, the events that will not take place are:

• The "Festa veneziana" in the Rio di Cannaregio on Saturday evening and the water parade along the Grand Canal on Sunday morning
• The large animated stages in Piazza San Marco and Piazza Ferretto 
• The Marie and Toro processions 
• The flights of the Angel, of the Eagle and the flight of the Lion
• The parades of allegorical floats in Lido, Marghera, Campalto, Zelarino, Pellestrina and Burano

However, there will be a widespread programme of music, circus-theatre, puppet, acrobatic and clowning shows that will be staged during the Carnival weekends, Saturday 12 and Sunday 13, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 February, from 3.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m., and on the days of the "Fat Week" from Thursday 24 February to Tuesday 1 March, from 11.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and from 3.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. The performances will be free and will take place in the historic centre, on the islands and in the Venetian mainland municipalities. 

After the Christmas months, the skating rink in Campo San Polo in Venice and the one in Piazza Mercato in Marghera will be open again.

On the occasion of the Carnival, the museums of the Marciana Area and the Area of the Venetian 18th century will be open in the evening until 10.00 p.m. from Friday 18 February to Tuesday 1 March. The museums in question are: Palazzo Ducale, Museo Correr, Ca' Rezzonico, Palazzo Mocenigo and Casa di Carlo Goldoni.

The "Festa veneziana" in the rio di Cannaregio moves to the Basin of the Arsenal of Venice to celebrate the Venice Carnival 2022 with an extraordinary show on water.

Instead of just one, there will be several spectacles of water and fire. The shows will take place on Friday 18, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 February and from Thursday 24 February to Tuesday 1 March with two daily performances at 18:45 and at 21:15. The shows will be limited in number, with compulsory reservation and compulsory green pass according to the regulations in force.

The traditional and ancient competition includes the pre-selection of the twelve Marys on Monday 14 February at the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista. From 19 February the twelve Marys will participate in various events of the official programme of the event. The final selection will take place on Monday 28 February in the Sale Apollinee of the Teatro La Fenice, with the proclamation of the 2022 Carnival Maria.

For those who want to, it will be possible to connect to the live broadcasts on the Venice Carnival Facebook page and on the Venezia Unica Youtube playlist. These links can be accessed directly from the Official Venice Carnival website: https://www.carnevale.venezia.it/en/