The Venice carnival is on between February 26th and March 8th, 2011 in the legendary Italian city of Venice.
The fantastic masks and costumes have evolved over many years of carnival in Venice, the first was way back in 1268. The Venice carnival became part of the carnival Grand Tour in the eighteenth century.
The Venice carnival is a major event for the Venetians and the extravagant processions and parties are very popular. The carnival mask originates from a past desire to conceal status and to assist with flirting anonymously. There is the traditional full mask or bauta although perhaps most practical for eating and drinking is the half mask. Carnival revelers are still referred to a Signor Mark or Sior Maschera.
The main focus of the Venice Carnival is in the Piazza san Marco but the event spreads throughout the city. There are a number of features such as the Flight of the Angel or Volo Dell’Angello signified by confetti scattered from the church bell towers, the pageant La Festa Delle Marie commencing in San Pietro di Castello and the masked procession. The theme for 2011 is the revocation of the 1800 century.
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