# Venice events: the Biennale alternates by year > Art falls in even years and architecture in odd ones. The 83rd film festival ran September 2 to 12, 2026 and Carnival has moved with Easter since 1094. URL: https://myitalia.it/towns/venezia/events Last updated: 2026-09-02 The Venice Biennale alternates by year: art in even years, architecture in odd ones, so 2026 was an art year and 2027 is an architecture year. ## Art in even years, architecture in odd ones The two International Exhibitions alternate: Art falls in even years, most recently 2026, and Architecture in odd years, next in 2027. The alternation broke between 2020 and 2022 for the pandemic and the current cadence is the one above. That single rule answers most planning questions about Venice in spring and autumn. If your dates are in an even year you are arriving during an art Biennale; in an odd year the pavilions hold architecture, which fills the same buildings with a different public. The 61st Art Exhibition, titled In Minor Keys and curated by Koyo Kouoh, ran May 9 to November 22, 2026 at the Giardini, the Arsenale and Forte Marghera in Mestre, at €30 full and €16 reduced for under 26s. ## One institution, six sections, born in different decades The Biennale was founded in 1895 with the first International Art Exhibition, and its sections arrived one at a time afterwards: Music in 1930, Cinema in 1932, Theater in 1934, Architecture in 1980, Dance in 1999. That chronology is the reason the word Biennale means several different things in Venice depending on who is saying it. A hotel quoting Biennale prices in September is talking about cinema; a gallery talking about the Biennale in May means art. The institution presents its 1932 film exhibition as the first of its kind anywhere in the world, which is why the film festival carries a separate weight from the rest. ## The film festival: 83rd edition, Lido, September The 83rd Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica was held at the Lido from September 2 to 12, 2026, with Alberto Barbera as artistic director, under FIAPF recognition. The festival normally sits between the end of August and the first half of September. It takes over the Lido rather than the historic city, which changes where the pressure falls: hotel demand moves to the island and the boat lines to it run full. If you want to be in Venice in early September and have no interest in cinema, that is the fortnight to avoid the Lido and nothing else. ## Carnival: 1094, 1296, 1797, 1979 Carnival is first documented in 1094 under doge Vitale Falier, became an official public festival by a Senate decree of 1296, ended in 1797 with the fall of the Republic and was revived in its modern form in 1979. Its date moves. Carnival occupies the days before Lent and closes on Shrove Tuesday, 47 days before Easter, so it lands anywhere from early February to early March. The modern edition is run by the city of Venice with local associations. We do not publish next year's dates. The dedicated Carnival site refuses automated reading and the city portal is the only primary source we could open, so we would be copying a number from somewhere unverified. Check the official channels once the Easter date is known. ## The Regata Storica, first Sunday of September The Regata Storica is held every year on the first Sunday of September on the Grand Canal, organized by the city of Venice. The historical procession that opens it re-enacts the welcome the city gave Caterina Cornaro in 1489, and the racing that follows is competitive rowing rather than pageantry. It is watched from the banks and the bridges, free, which makes it the one major Venice event with no ticket at its center. Plan on the day rather than a date: the first Sunday of September, every year. More at [events across Italy](/themes/events) and [things to do in Venice](/towns/venezia/things-to-do). ## FAQ ### Is the Venice Biennale on this year? Art falls in even years and architecture in odd ones, so 2026 is an art year and 2027 an architecture year. The 61st Art Exhibition, In Minor Keys, curated by Koyo Kouoh, ran May 9 to November 22, 2026 at the Giardini, the Arsenale and Forte Marghera. ### How much is a Biennale ticket? €30 full and €16 reduced for under 26s at the 2026 Art Exhibition. The venues are the Giardini, the Arsenale and Forte Marghera in Mestre, and the exhibition closes on Mondays except on certain dates. Buy from the Biennale's own channels. ### When is the Venice Film Festival? The 83rd Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica ran September 2 to 12, 2026 at the Lido, under artistic director Alberto Barbera. It normally falls between late August and the first half of September, and it is the oldest film festival in the world, running since 1932. ### When is Carnival in Venice? It has no fixed date. Carnival occupies the days before Lent and ends on Shrove Tuesday, which falls 47 days before Easter, so it moves every year. The modern edition is organized by the city of Venice with local associations. Next year's dates are not verified here. ### What is the Regata Storica? A rowing regatta held every year on the first Sunday of September on the Grand Canal, organized by the city of Venice. The historical procession that precedes it re-enacts the welcome given to Caterina Cornaro in 1489. It is free to watch from the banks. ## Sources | Fact | Source | Confidence | Valid until | |---|---|---|---| | Le Esposizioni Internazionali di Arte e di Architettura della Biennale di Venezia si alternano di anno in anno: l'Arte cade negli anni pari (2026) e l'Architettura negli anni dispari (2027). | [La Biennale di Venezia](https://www.labiennale.org/it/storia) | medium | 2028-12-31 | | La Biennale di Venezia e' stata fondata nel 1895 con la prima Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte; le sezioni sono nate in anni diversi: Musica 1930, Cinema 1932, Teatro 1934, Architettura 1980, Danza 1999. | [La Biennale di Venezia](https://www.labiennale.org/it/storia) | medium | 2099-12-31 | | La 61a Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte della Biennale di Venezia, intitolata 'In Minor Keys' e curata da Koyo Kouoh, si tiene dal 9 maggio al 22 novembre 2026 ai Giardini, all'Arsenale e a Forte Marghera. | [La Biennale di Venezia](https://www.labiennale.org/it/arte/2026/informazioni) | medium | 2026-11-30 | | L'83a Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia si tiene al Lido di Venezia dal 2 al 12 settembre 2026 sotto la direzione artistica di Alberto Barbera. | [La Biennale di Venezia](https://www.labiennale.org/it/cinema/2026) | medium | 2026-12-31 | | Il Carnevale di Venezia e' una festa a data mobile che si svolge nei giorni che precedono la Quaresima e si chiude il Martedi' Grasso; l'edizione moderna e' organizzata dal Comune di Venezia insieme ad associazioni cittadine. | [Comune di Venezia - Venezia1600](https://1600.venezia.it/it/articolo/carnevale-venezia-storia-una-tradizione-millenaria-che-ha-reso-citta-lagunare-famosa-tutto) | medium | 2099-12-31 | | Il Carnevale di Venezia ha una prima attestazione documentale nel 1094 sotto il doge Vitale Falier e diventa festa pubblica ufficiale con un decreto del Senato del 1296; si interrompe nel 1797 con la caduta della Repubblica e rinasce in forma moderna nel 1979. | [Comune di Venezia - Venezia1600](https://1600.venezia.it/it/articolo/carnevale-venezia-storia-una-tradizione-millenaria-che-ha-reso-citta-lagunare-famosa-tutto) | medium | 2099-12-31 | | La Regata Storica di Venezia si tiene ogni anno la prima domenica di settembre sul Canal Grande, organizzata dal Comune di Venezia; il corteo storico che la precede rievoca l'accoglienza riservata nel 1489 a Caterina Cornaro. | [Comune di Venezia](https://www.comune.venezia.it/it/content/regata-storica-venezia) | medium | 2099-12-31 | ## Image https://media.myitalia.it/media/city.venezia.v2.1600.jpg Author: kallerna. License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ponte_di_Rialto_Venice_1.jpg ## Other languages - it: https://myitalia.it/it/paesi/venezia/eventi.md - es: https://myitalia.it/es/pueblos/venezia/eventos.md - fr: https://myitalia.it/fr/villages/venezia/evenements.md - de: https://myitalia.it/de/orte/venezia/veranstaltungen.md