Events 2026

The 61st International Art Exhibition of the Biennale di Venezia is held in 2026 under the title "In Minor Keys" – conceived by Koyo Kouoh, who passed away in 2025, and continued by the curatorial team in her spirit. The motto refers to the musical minor key: quiet, reflective tones that open spaces for empathy, resistance and subtle narratives. In the Giardini and the Arsenale, more than 60 national pavilions and a central exhibition present works by artists from all over the world – with a focus on marginalised voices, postcolonial perspectives and the question of how art takes a stance in times of global crisis. Pre-opening: 6–8 May 2026.

The Festa della Sensa is one of Venice's most traditional celebrations and marks the symbolic union of the city with the sea. Historical procession, religious ritual and Venetian self-staging come together here, recalling the maritime power of the Republic as well as its political and spiritual identity.In 2026 the ceremony begins at the Dogana da Mar and proceeds solemnly across the water towards the Lido di Venezia. For visitors, the Sensa is a rare opportunity to experience a festival in which history, lagoon landscape and living urban tradition come together with particular intensity

The Voga Longa is far more than a rowing event: it is a collective commitment to Venetian rowing culture and to the lagoon as a living habitat. Each year hundreds of boats and thousands of rowers take part in this non-competitive event, which originated in the 1970s also as a protest against increasing motorboat traffic and its effects on the city.The route, around 32 kilometres long, passes through some of the most impressive landscapes of the lagoon, by islands such as Sant'Erasmo, Burano and Murano, before flowing through the Grand Canal back into the heart of the city. For many, the Voga Longa is one of the most authentic and atmospheric events of the Venetian spring

The Venice Boat Show returns in 2026 to the historic Arsenale and combines nautical innovation with one of the most spectacular settings in the city. The fair is one of the most important European platforms for the boat industry, bringing shipyards, designers, technology companies and trade visitors together in Venice.On display are sailing yachts, motor boats, sustainable propulsion systems and electric watercraft, complemented by demonstrations, expert talks and presentations on the future of maritime mobility. In the context of the lagoon city, the fair gains a particularly sharp focus

The Biennale Teatro 2026 takes place under the title "ALTER NATIVE" and is directed by Willem Dafoe. The festival focuses on contemporary forms of theatre, international co-productions and new theatrical voices, combining experimental works with an open dialogue on language, body, presence and social imagination. Productions, premieres and international debuts are presented in various Biennale venues, including spaces in the Arsenale and other theatres in the city. Once again in 2026, the theatre festival is one of the most important forums for contemporary theatre in Europe

The 20th International Festival of Contemporary Dance of the Biennale di Venezia "Il tempo non esiste" is directed in 2026 by Wayne McGregor, one of the most influential choreographers of our time. The festival brings international soloists and companies to Venice and at the same time fosters intensive exchange between choreographic research, performance and education. A central role is played by the Biennale College Danza, which specifically supports young dancers and gives them the opportunity to work under professional conditions and develop in close proximity to the festival programme. The result is a format that effectively combines excellence, the promotion of young talent and an international profile

The Festa del Redentore is one of the most emotional and popular festivals in Venice. It commemorates the end of the 16th-century plague epidemic and to this day combines religious remembrance with an exuberant night-time celebration on the water and along the shores.The most striking elements include the temporary votive bridge to the Giudecca, festively decorated boats in the Bacino di San Marco, and the great fireworks display that turns the sky above the lagoon into a collective spectacle. For many Venetians, Redentore is one of the most important social and emotional highlights of the year

The Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica di Venezia is the oldest film festival in the world and remains one of the most prestigious events in international cinema. At the beginning of September, the Lido becomes the meeting point of filmmakers, critics, producers and audiences from all over the world. At the heart of the festival are international premieres, competition films and awards centred on the Golden Lion. Between the Palazzo del Cinema, the red carpet and the cinemas on the Lido, every year sees that distinctive blend of cinematic relevance and public glamour for which Venice is known around the world

Homo Faber 2026: An Island of Light takes place at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini on the Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore and is one of the most important international platforms for outstanding craftsmanship. Curated by the Michelangelo Foundation, the 2026 edition is under the artistic direction of Es Devlin and is dedicated to the relationship between light, material and the human hand.The exhibition unfolds as a multi-layered journey through historic rooms and garden grounds of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, gathering works by artisans from around the world. Exhibitions, installations and immersive scenographies make Homo Faber one of the visually and substantively strongest formats of the cultural autumn in Venice

The Regata Storica transforms the Grand Canal into a stage for Venetian memory and sporting tradition. Before the actual races, a historic procession of boats with costumed figures glides across the water, evoking the imagery of the Republic of Venice, before the contests in the traditional "Voga alla Veneta" boats begin. The regata is one of the most-attended events on the city's calendar and combines tourist appeal with strong local identification. Along the course between the Bacino San Marco and Ca' Foscari, Venice condenses on this day into a single great waterside audience

The Venice Glass Week is dedicated to Venetian glass art in all its breadth and connects Murano, Venice and Mestre in a city-wide festival. Studios, galleries, institutions and fornaci open their doors and demonstrate how lively and contemporary the centuries-old glass tradition of the lagoon remains today.The programme includes exhibitions, guided tours, talks and live demonstrations in the workshops, where the creation of the finest glass objects can be observed at first hand. Especially on Murano, this makes visible how closely artistic quality, craftsmanship and local identity are connected

The Salone dell'Alto Artigianato Italiano in the Tese of the Arsenale presents the best of Italian craftsmanship in a setting that is itself deeply linked with Venice's productive history. On show are selected works in the fields of ceramics, Murano glass, jewellery, textiles, furniture and other disciplines of contemporary Made in Italy. Particularly compelling is the direct encounter with the producers: visitors can not only discover finished pieces but also engage in conversation with the craftspeople, understand production methods and acquire original objects. The Salone thus convincingly combines exhibition, market, mediation and cultural representation

The Biennale Musica 2026 is directed by Caterina Barbieri, a defining figure of contemporary electronic and experimental music. The festival "A Child of Sound" combines concerts, premieres, new compositional commissions and sound-based formats that open up classical concert structures as well as the perception of space, time and listening itself. The programme is complemented by the Biennale College Musica, which supports young composers, performers and sound artists and presents their works in direct connection with the festival. The Biennale Musica 2026 thus becomes an important resonance chamber for current developments at the intersection of composition, electronics and performance

The Venice Marathon covers 42.195 kilometres from Stra on the mainland to Venice and is one of Europe's most unusual city marathons. The route connects landscape, suburbs, bridge architecture and lagoon views into a sequence of very different spaces, before the race comes to its spectacular finish in the historic city.It is the final kilometres in particular that give the marathon its special appeal: across the Ponte della Libertà the field approaches the lagoon, before the finish in Venice creates an unmistakable union of sporting achievement and iconic urban scenery