Venice Events 2026 — All Festivals, Traditions and Dates at a Glance

In brief: Venice offers an exceptionally dense events season in 2026 — the international Art Biennale runs from May to November, joined by the traditional festivals (Festa della Sensa in May, Festa del Redentore in July, Festa della Madonna della Salute in November), the Salone Nautico boat show in late May, the Mostra del Cinema film festival in early September on the Lido (2–12 September), the Venice Glass Week in September, the historic Vogalonga rowing regatta at Whitsun and much more. This overview lists all the key 2026 dates, sorted by month — with cross-links to our detailed news articles. Good to know: many of these event days between 3 April and 26 July are also applicable days for the day-tripper access fee — details and the calendar with all 60 applicable days are on our access-fee overview page.

January/February 2026 — the Venice Carnival (already over)

Carnevale di Venezia 2026 — the masked festival

31 January to 17 February 2026 (Martedì Grasso) · Theme “Olympus — Alle origini del gioco” for the Milano-Cortina Olympic year. Highlights were the Festa Veneziana sul Canal Grande (water pageant) on 1 February, the Volo dell’Angelo on St Mark’s Square and the procession of the 12 Marie on Shrove Tuesday. The next Carnival (2027) is expected to begin in late January again — our preview article follows in January 2027.

April 2026 — spring traditions (already over)

Su e Zo per i Ponti 2026 — the solidarity walk

Sunday, 12 April 2026 · 46th edition of the non-competitive spring walk over Venice’s bridges (short route 5.7 km / 24 bridges, long route 11.6 km / 44 bridges, start and finish on St Mark’s Square). In 2026 part of the Milano-Cortina Cultural Olympiad; participants were exempt from the day-tripper fee.

Festa di San Marco · Bòcolo — the city’s patron saint

25 April 2026 (fixed date) · Feast of the city’s patron St Mark, and at the same time the “Festa del Bòcolo”: Venetians give their loved ones a red rosebud. Solemn mass in St Mark’s, a traditional rowing regatta on the Grand Canal. 25 April is also a national holiday in Italy (Liberation 1945) — the city is correspondingly full.

May 2026 — season opening, the Sensa and Whitsun weekend (already over)

Festa della Sensa 2026 — Sposalizio del Mare

Sunday, 17 May 2026 · Venice’s “marriage to the sea”, one of the city’s oldest traditions. A water pageant from St Mark’s Basin, led by the Serenissima, to the Lido harbour before San Nicolò, where the mayor symbolically casts a ring into the sea. In 2026 with a twinning to Lusevera (Friuli) for the 50th anniversary of the 1976 earthquake. Always falls on the Sunday after Ascension (14 May 2026).

Vogalonga 2026 — the people’s rowing regatta

24 May 2026 (Whit Sunday) · A 30-kilometre regatta through the lagoon, starting 9 am at St Mark’s Basin. Over 1,500 rowing boats, free for spectators.

Salone Nautico Venezia 2026 — the boat show at the Arsenale

27 to 31 May 2026 (7th edition) · 270+ boats from international yards in the historic Arsenale grounds. Day ticket €20, 5-day pass €50.

ACTV strike 29 May 2026 — in review

Friday, 29 May 2026, 24 hours · Vaporetto, bus, tram, People Mover and Venezia Unica sales points were affected. Guaranteed bus/tram windows 06:00–08:59 and 16:30–19:29.

June 2026 — festivals and concerts

Mestre Bookfest 2026 — literature festival

3 to 14 June 2026 · 12 days of readings, book launches and workshops in Mestre. Focus on contemporary Italian literature, free entry with online reservation.

105 Summer Festival 2026 — open-air music

Friday, 5 June 2026 · Pop, rap and dance festival in the Parco San Giuliano (Mestre), free with advance reservation. Top Italian acts, from 8:30 pm.

Concerti in Piazza San Marco 2026 — the summer concert series

25 June to 15 July 2026 · Open-air concerts on St Mark’s Square. Confirmed 2026 line-up: Riccardo Cocciante (25.6), Andrea Bocelli (27.6, for the 30th anniversary of “Romanza”), Claudio Baglioni (29 + 30.6), the orchestra and chorus of the Teatro La Fenice (5.7) and Edoardo Bennato (6.7). All stars and tickets in the detailed article.

July 2026 — Festa del Redentore

Festa del Redentore 2026 — tradition + fireworks

18/19 July 2026 · Venice’s most important popular festival since 1577. Saturday 18.7 from 11:30 pm: fireworks over St Mark’s Basin. Sunday 19.7: pilgrimage mass at the Redentore church on the Giudecca across the 330 m pontoon bridge. Both days are applicable fee days. Hotel prices this weekend run 60–100% above standard.

August 2026 — Ferragosto

  • 15 August 2026 — Ferragosto: Italy’s high summer holiday. Some Venetians are away and individual restaurants close — check restaurants ahead
  • 14–17 August: the Jesolo beach weekend rule extends to weekdays during this Ferragosto peak (details in the Jesolo article)

September 2026 — film festival, Glass Week and Regata Storica

Mostra del Cinema 2026 — the international film festival

2 to 12 September 2026 · 83rd Venice International Film Festival on the Lido, directed by Alberto Barbera, jury president Maggie Gyllenhaal. One of the world’s three leading film festivals alongside Cannes and the Berlinale. Golden Lion for best film. A dedicated article with programme and tickets follows.

The Venice Glass Week 2026 — the glass art festival

12 to 20 September 2026 (10th anniversary edition) · A city-wide festival of Venetian glass art in Venice, Mestre and on Murano — with furnaces, exhibitions, workshops and open studios. For craft lovers one of the highlights of the year. More background in our craft and design overview.

Regata Storica 2026 — the historic regatta

Sunday, 6 September 2026 · A costumed historic pageant on the Grand Canal from 3:30 pm with boats in 16th-century style, followed by the rowing races (the women’s regatta on mascarete, the gondolini regatta). Finish at the “Machina” by Ca’ Foscari. Always the first Sunday in September.

October 2026 — marathon, Venice Fashion Week and Atelier Aperti

Venicemarathon 2026 — the city marathon

Sunday, 25 October 2026 (40th edition) · Start 9:40 am at the Villa Pisani in Stra, finish in Venice across a purpose-built 166 m floating bridge, past St Mark’s, the Campanile and the Doge’s Palace. Distances 42 km, 21 km, 10 km and a family run. Bib collection 24/25 October in the San Giuliano park (Mestre).

Venice Fashion Week + Atelier Aperti 2026

19 to 24 October 2026 (13th edition) · During Venice Fashion Week, craft workshops and maestri d’arte open their ateliers to the public (Atelier Aperti), alongside fashion, craft and sustainability in palazzi, galleries and hotels. Curated by Venezia da Vivere.

November 2026 — Madonna della Salute

  • 21 November 2026 — Festa della Madonna della Salute: the traditional pilgrimage to the plague votive church of Santa Maria della Salute. As at the Festa del Redentore a pontoon bridge is built, here from the sestiere of San Marco across the Grand Canal. A local tradition since 1631
  • 22 November 2026 — last day of the Biennale Arte 2026: to see the international Art Biennale, book before this date

Year-round 2026 — Atelier Aperti (10th anniversary)

Atelier Aperti is an events series curated since 2016 by Venezia da Vivere, in which Venetian maestri d’arte and craftspeople open their ateliers to the public. 2026 marks the 10th anniversary — and the programme is correspondingly dense:

  • 15–18 April 2026 — the “Laboratorio del Made in Italy” edition (already over) within the Giornata Nazionale del Made in Italy
  • May–November 2026 — selective atelier openings during the Biennale Arte and individual special exhibitions
  • 19–24 October 2026 — the Venice Fashion Week edition, with an extensive programme of workshops, exhibitions and atelier visits
  • Since 2024 part of the official programme of the Giornata Nazionale del Made in Italy (Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy)

For travellers interested in traditional Venetian craft — Murano glass, mask making, lace, goldsmithing — the Atelier Aperti days are especially rewarding. Dates and the atelier list are usually published 4 to 6 weeks before each edition. Current information: veneziadavivere.com/atelier-aperti.

Year-round 2026 — the Biennale Arte

Biennale Arte 2026 — the international art biennale

9 May to 22 November 2026 · 61st International Art Exhibition under the title “In Minor Keys”, curated by Koyo Kouoh. 100 national participations across the Giardini pavilions (29), the Arsenale (25) and the city (46), including 7 first-time countries. Over 80 additional off-site exhibitions in palazzi and churches. Day ticket €30, 5-day pass €40.

Continuously updated

This events overview is continuously extended. The following detailed articles are in preparation:

  • Mostra del Cinema 2026 — a detailed article with the competition programme and ticket information follows before the festival opens
  • Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Venice 2026/2027 — article due in November
  • Venice Carnival 2027 — preview article in January 2027
  • Caorle Carnival 2027 — Caorle in Maschera — article in February 2027

Frequently asked questions about events in Venice

When is the best time for events in Venice?

May and June are the densest months (Biennale opening, Festa della Sensa, Vogalonga, Salone Nautico, several music festivals). For the Festa del Redentore, plan mid-July. For film-festival premieres come to the Lido in early September (2–12.9) — the Venice Glass Week runs at the same time. November is quiet, but with the Madonna della Salute and the Biennale finale it is a distinct season of its own.

Which events fall within the access-fee main season?

Su e Zo per i Ponti, the Vogalonga, the Salone Nautico, all June and July events plus the Biennale weekends between 3 April and 26 July lie in the main period of the day-tripper fee. Which specific days are applicable is shown in the access-fee calendar — our master overview for the question “busy day or quieter day”.

How early should I book hotels for the big events?

Festa del Redentore (July): at least 4 months ahead, otherwise expect a 60–100% surcharge. The Biennale opening weeks (May/June): 3–4 months ahead. Mostra del Cinema (early September): 2–3 months ahead — pricier on the Lido than in the city. Carnival (February 2027): book at least 5 months ahead; Carnival hotels are the most expensive of the whole season.

Are the events free to attend?

It varies widely. Classics such as the Festa del Redentore (fireworks), Festa della Sensa, the Vogalonga (as a spectator), the Regata Storica, the 105 Summer Festival, the Mestre Bookfest and the Madonna della Salute are free. Ticketed: the Biennale Arte (€30/day), the Salone Nautico (€20/day), the Mostra del Cinema (festival passes €50–200 by section), the Venicemarathon (entry fee by distance) and individually booked concerts.

Are events cancelled because of acqua alta?

Rarely. Most major events run between May and September — outside the main high-water season (October to March). Coming in November for the Festa della Salute you may meet higher water, but the pilgrimage takes place even during acqua alta. Current levels: acqua alta live page.

A package trip to your chosen event

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