Venice Carnival painted the Italian "city on the water": on the night of February 16, an opening ceremony of this large-scale event was held, attracting tourists and creative people from all over the world. The celebration will last until "Fat Tuesday", known as Mardi Gras — the last day before the Lent. This year it is on March 5.

The theme of the carnival 2019 sounds like" Blame the Moon" ("Tutta colpa della Luna"). Like a mask, the name hides several meanings: it is a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the first landing of a man on the Moon, and a reference to Shakespeare's play "Othello", where the moonlight drove people crazy.

The festival began on Saturday night. The costume performance took place along the Cannaregio Canal: slowly floating gondolas became stages for actors, musicians and acrobats. Following artists, the full Moon of incredible size floated in the sky, lighting the way with magical light.

The great regatta started on Sunday afternoon: the Grand Canal sailed... a huge rat! This unusual image is traditional, and the rat is a frequent character in local legends. So, a boat with a giant animal model proudly led the procession of a hundred gondolas. Each gondola was decorated in accordance with the chosen theme, and brave rowers for such an event were dressed in memorable costumes.

In total, 700 residents of the region took part in the regatta, and 35,000 spectators gathered to see them only on the streets of Venice itself!

Of course, the residents and guests of the city do not lag behind the official processions: you can admire the colorful masquerade not only on the water but also on land. Here are just a few examples of great examples from the current Venice Carnival: