Venetian Festival on the Water – Water Parade of the Venice Carnival
The grand water parade that opens the Venice Carnival
About Venetian Festival on the Water
The Water Opening of the Carnival
The Festa Veneziana sull'Acqua is the event that inaugurates the Venice Carnival and embodies its most authentic spirit: the indissoluble link between the festival and the city's canals. Along the Grand Canal, from Punta della Dogana to the Rialto Bridge, a magnificent water parade comes to life, involving Venetian rowing associations.
Hundreds of Boats and Masked Rowers
The parade brings together hundreds of traditional boats — caorline, gondolas, sandoli, mascarete — with masked rowers, creating a collective spectacle unique in the world. It is a celebration of voga alla veneta, the art of standing rowing typical of the lagoon, and of the maritime culture that has made the history of the Serenissima.
The Bursting of the Pantegana
The key symbolic moment is the bursting of the Pantegana, the large papier-mâché mouse that, near Rialto, bursts open, releasing a shower of biodegradable confetti in the colors of Venice and St. Mark. It is the signal that officially kicks off the Carnival, met with the enthusiasm of the crowd gathered along the banks and on the bridges.
Tradition and Sustainability
Part of the official program of the Carnival of Venice (VE), in Veneto, the Festa Veneziana sull'Acqua combines spectacle with environmental attention, using biodegradable materials and monitoring lagoon waters. An event that unites thousands of Venetians and visitors in one of the most evocative images of the Carnival.
Venetian Festival on the Water — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of the Festa Veneziana sull'Acqua inaugurated the Venice Carnival on Sunday, February 1st. Over 140 traditional boats and about 800 masked rowers brought the grand water parade to life along the Grand Canal, starting from Punta della Dogana towards the Rialto Bridge.
Near Rialto, the bursting of the Pantegana took place, the papier-mâché mouse that released biodegradable confetti in the colors of Venice and St. Mark. In line with the theme "Olympus – At the Origins of the Game" and Olympic values, the edition placed particular emphasis on sustainability, with ecological materials and water monitoring. Awards for the most original boats were presented in the Erbaria area.
Programme Venetian Festival on the Water 2026
February 1, 2026 — Grand Canal
- Morning — Departure of the water parade from Punta della Dogana
- Parade of over 140 traditional boats with about 800 masked rowers towards Rialto
- Bursting of the Pantegana at Rialto with biodegradable confetti
- Awards for the most original boats in the Erbaria area
Free event, visible from the banks and bridges of the Grand Canal.
Highlights Venetian Festival on the Water 2026
Prices Venetian Festival on the Water 2026
Practical information — Venetian Festival on the Water
How to get there
Venice is reachable by train to Santa Lucia, by car to Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto, or by plane from Marco Polo Airport. The parade can be viewed from the banks of the Grand Canal, from the bridges, and from the `fondamenta` between Punta della Dogana and Rialto.
Where and When
Grand Canal of Venice (VE), from Punta della Dogana to Rialto, at the beginning of Carnival (late January / early February).
Admission
Free event, visible from the banks and bridges. Program available at carnevale.venezia.it.
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Where does it take place — Venetian Festival on the Water
Canal Grande, da Punta della Dogana a Rialto
Canal Grande, 30124 Venezia