CARNIVAL-VENICE/BOAT PARADE Venice Carnival afloat for 2015 with first full day of revelry

Record ID: 451007

  • Title: CARNIVAL-VENICE/BOAT PARADE Venice Carnival afloat for 2015 with first full day of revelry
  • Date: 1st February 2015
  • Summary: VENICE, ITALY (FEBRUARY 1, 2015) (REUTERS) ST. MARK'S SQUARE SEEN FROM PASSING BOAT BOAT MADE TO LOOK LIKE LARGE BIRD IN CANAL GONDOLAS IN CANAL BOAT FULL OF PEOPLE DRESSED IN BATMAN OUTFITS PADDLING PAST VARIOUS OF PEOPLE STANDING ON BRIDGE LOOKING ON WOMEN WEARING MASKS AMONG CROWD BOAT PARADE ON CANAL PEOPLE IN COSTUMES ROWING BOATS VARIOUS OF BOAT WITH HUGE RAT FIGURE LYING ON TOP OF RUBBISH BAGS MOVING UNDER BRIDGE GIRL WITH FAN AND KIMONO AND BOY IN FIREMAN OUTFIT ON BOAT PEOPLE LOOKING ON FROM BRIDGE BOAT PARADE MOVING UNDER BRIDGE ROWERS IN CLOWN COSTUMES GIRL WEARING VENETIAN MASK LOOKING ON MALE ROWERS DRESSED UP AS NUNS IN PARADE BOAT PARADE MOVING ALONG RIVER PEOPLE ON CANAL SIDE TAKING PHOTOS BOATS WITH MASKED AND DRESSED UP ROWERS MOVING UNDER BRIDGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM LEEDS, UNITED KINGDOM, SUSAN BECKLEY, SAYING: "It's fantastic. I've never seen anything like this before, all these people here. We've been to carnival later, in the weeks later but never at the beginning like this so it's fantastic." (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) VENICE RESIDENT, CLAUDIO ROSAN, SAYING: "It's become very commercial and now the Venetian elements, the social side of the carnival doesn't exist anymore, it's all just commercial now. That is my opinion. All the Venetians have left the city, there are no Venetians here." PEOPLE LOOKING ON FROM CROWDED BRIDGE MAN IN BLONDE WIG WAVING FROM BOAT PARADE MOVING UNDER BRIDGE MASKED AND CLOAKED ROWERS
  • Embargoed: 16th February 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAEB6CYTM3U6TKJDS9WVQRTDG0C
  • Story Text: Venetians were cloaked, masked and robed in style for the first full day of the Venice Carnival on Sunday (February 1) as they rowed their way along the canals followed by crowds of curious onlookers.
    A freezing winter chill and grey skies didn't deter cheerful, masked revellers as the lagoon city's annual carnival got underway in earnest with the traditional first day boat parade.
    Scores of boats representing different organisations and affiliations made their way to the fabled district of Cannaregio cheered on by visitors on bridges and piers.
    "It's fantastic. I've never seen anything like this before, all these people here. We've been to carnival later, in the weeks later but never at the beginning like this so it's fantastic," said tourist Susan Beckley from Leeds, United Kingdom.
    The Venice Carnival is world famous - it always takes place during the ten days leading up to Lent.
    Carnival, being a pre-Lent festival, means 'farewell to meat' and is celebrated throughout Italy. It was first held in Venice in the 11th century and consisted of over two months of revelry, until it fell into decline during the 18th century. It was revived in 1979 with great success and nowadays it is a great excuse to don a mask and costume, parade around the city and enjoy the live music in the main squares of the city.
    Visitors come from all over the world to visit Venice during this period. Indeed, local man Claudio Rosan lamented that the carnival had turned from a local celebration into a commercial event targeting foreigners over the years.
    "It's become very commercial and now the Venetian elements, the social side of the carnival doesn't exist anymore, it's all just commercial now. That is my opinion. All the Venetians have left the city, there are no Venetians here," Rosan said.
    The 2015 edition, which is running with the theme "The Most Delicious Feast in the World", will celebrate Italy's culinary traditions and triumphs organisers said ahead of the festivities.
    This year's carnival runs until February 17.
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