Celebrations & Festivals
Epiphany
A spectacular ritual of clear pagan origin concludes the Christmas holidays on the square in front of the amphitheatre. On January 6th, a huge Befana is built in front of the Arena and, after the arrival of the Three Kings, around 18 p.m. they burn the witch to chase the evil away and welcome the new year.
In the morning a Vintage Car Parade from San Zeno Square to the square of the Arena will showcase interesting historic cars and take to the Policeman gifts Aid and donations to charity.
Carnival
One of the oldest masks in Italy is the Veronese Father Gnoco, which is 490 years old.
The Carnival on “Fat Friday” involves the whole city, big and small feature in costumes, throw confetti, distribute candies and make jokes. It is a lively, exciting carnival, made of traditional masks, mockery of authorities, amazing floats, parade of horses, majorettes and musical bands.
The parade starts at 14.30 at Porta Nuova and crawls for 6 km along the streets of the city center, to the rhythm of music finishing in front of Saint Zeno Church. In the squares and in every restaurant, you can taste traditional gnocchi with various sauces.
Next Carnival parade, called Bacanal Del Gnoco, will be held on Friday, February 12th 2021 in Verona and has nothing to envy to the carnival of Venice. Come and join it!
Valentine's Day
Mid February Veronese main streets are decorated with hearts. For a few days live concerts animate the squares and the white top of Lamberti Tower is tinged with red. On Signori Square a chocolate exhibition on a large red heart shaped carpet will delight you and in the courtyard of the Palace of Reason you can reply to the many love letters addressed to Juliet.
There are many initiatives dedicated to lovers who want to walk in Verona hand in hand, and not only on February 14. In Verona, the bride and groom from all over the world swear love and faithfulness, who is looking for love touches Juliet’s statue, who has already found it, dreams of eternity, and everybody falls in love with her, pure beauty and amazing magic, source of never-ending love and ecstasy, Verona. Here every day is Valentine's day, the reasons for admiration are endless.
Insurrection against Napoleon
The historical re-enactment known as “Pasque veronesi" reminds of the Veronese revolt against Napoleonic troops on Easter Monday 1797. The soldiers parade in historical costumes of the Venetian Republic, with rifles and forward-loading guns, ends with the flag-raising of the banner of St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice.
Arenian Festival
For hundreds of years performances have been held in the amphitheatre Arena. It's great to admire them from ancient bleachers, like at the time of the Gladiators. Opera Music has an amazing scenography, the moon and the stars also seem to be part of it, and the spectators, cheering as at the stadium, make it all even more exciting. There are about 80 shows, concerts and operas, which alternate from May to early October (you can find the list in my website under the heading "Events").
In the other Roman Theater in summertime the Shakespearean Festival takes place instead: dramas, dances and ballets. The ruins on the background and the flowing of the river behind them are very evocative.
Tocatì
It is a festival dedicated to traditional games organized by the Ancient Games Association for the preservation of playful traditions and to enhance social creativity.
It takes place mid-September in the squares and courtyards of Verona to let adults and children experience games handed down for centuries. Tug of war, slings, table football, board games, playing with eggs and stones, with wooden balls and recycled materials. Every year the experience is enriched with games and dances of a host nation.
Saint Lucy
One of the beloved celebrations in Verona is Santa Lucia. It dates back to the Middle Ages when a pilgrimage was established on the fairy night of December 12th to honor Saint Lucia and invoke her protection for the eyes. To encourage children to walk barefoot at night, on their return home they found gifts in their shoes brought by Saint Lucy on a donkey. On Bra Square, where the pilgrimage ended, by mid-December there is a pleasant smell of cotton candy and stalls display confectionery and toys even nowadays.
Christmas
Mid-November the atmosphere already changes in Verona, the first Christmas trees and decorations appear, in the squares of the center the scent of mulled wine replaces that of roasted chestnuts and handicrafts are sold in wooden houses. Children slide along the rays of the huge comet star that comes out of the Arena. Nativity scenes are on display in every church and hundreds of Christmas representations from all over the world are exhibited at the Gran Guardia.