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Martha Bakerjian

Carnevale - Carnival Festivals in Italy

By , About.com GuideJanuary 24, 2006

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Carnevale, also known as carnival or mardi gras, is celebrated in Italy and many places around the world 40 days before Easter, a final festival before Ash Wednesday and the restrictions of Lent. In Italy, Carnevale is a huge winter festival celebrated with parades, masquerade balls, entertainment, music, and parties. Although the official day for carnival in 2006 is February 28, Italian festivals start before that, often lasting ten or twelve days. Celebrations in Venice, one of the largest and most popular Carnevale destinations, start February 17. Read more about Carnevale Celebrations in Italy.

Besides traditional carnival festivals, Italy has some unusual carnival celebrations. Verona is home to one of the oldest Carnevale festivals in Italy, dating from 1615. Today they throw many kilos of sweets into the crowd during their carnival parade. The Piedmont town of Ivrea celebrates with a huge orange throwing contest. Read more about some of the biggest Carnevale Festivals in Italy - Venice, Viareggio, Ivrea, and Verona.

Related Italy Travel: Venice Travel Guide | Italy Festivals

Comments
April 27, 2008 at 9:20 pm
(1) sarah says:

how fun would Carevale be!!!

September 4, 2008 at 11:25 pm
(2) Ell says:

I wanna go to Italy now :)

February 25, 2009 at 9:19 pm
(3) Camiryn says:

I wonder what the masks look like:)

February 25, 2009 at 9:25 pm
(4) Martha says:

Here are pictures of Venice carnival masks.

March 3, 2009 at 11:55 pm
(5) bob says:

:]its totaly sick

March 14, 2009 at 8:04 am
(6) mickie says:

i’m off to italy:-)

February 4, 2010 at 10:47 am
(7) Paula says:

Carnevale is not held the 28th of February each year. It is held on Mardi Gras, or Pancake Tuesday – the day before Ash Wednesday. The Italians would not have such a huge celebration during Lent, so it has to be before! This year, 2010, for example, Carnevale takes place on 16th Feb. I live in Italy, so…

February 4, 2010 at 12:15 pm
(8) goitaly says:

Yes, as I said the date for carnevale was February 28 in 2006 and it is always just before the start of Lent which is 40 days before Easter. It’s the same as mardi gras and carnival festivals in other countries. The 2010 date is February 16. Here are carnival dates through 2020.

May 3, 2010 at 6:50 am
(9) olive says:

good website

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