Carneval mask in Venice - Venetian Costume

The Carnival of Venice

Venetian carnival is the European equivalent of the carnival in Brazil. Italians start very early to celebrate, because the first masqueraders appear on the streets of Venice as early as the second day of Christmas. The biggest crowds gather mainly in the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, but it’s Epiphany is the climax of the Venetian fun. Its crowning is midnight from Tuesday on Ash Wednesday, when Lent begins.
Italians celebrate carnival rather pompously and in large numbers. On the streets there are a lot of people – their motion is sometimes guided by the police. Also are created one-way streets.
An essential element of the Carnival of Venice are costumes and masks. This custom derives from the ancient times, when under the guises changed social classes. This allowed for a peaceful and positive outlet of negative emotions in relation to a particular layer.