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Venice Carnival: the masked balls
Mid-February· Venice, Italy
Society Private jet Superyacht
Why the circuit stops here
The tourists get confetti in the piazza; the circuit gets the private palazzo balls: Il Ballo del Doge and its rivals, costume by appointment, entry by invitation and four figures.
The money signal
Tickets to the top masked balls run €1,500-3,500 before the costume, which can cost multiples more.
Journal
Latest dispatches and guides from this stop.
Dispatch
Venice Carnival: the masked balls: reading the society layer, 21 August
A mid-February society fixture. The piazza belongs to tourists; the circuit reads the palazzo layer where entry is by invitation and costume is by appointment.
Read article GuideVenice Carnival: the masked balls: how the circuit hits Venice
Read article Dispatch2026 dispatch: Venice Carnival: the masked balls
Read articleWho's there
European aristocracy, costume-grade romantics with serious money, fashion patrons.
How they arrive
- Private aviation is the default: expect FBO slots and hotel helipads to be the real constraint, not tickets.
- The harbour is the venue: berths book out months ahead and the best parties happen on deck, not on shore.
On the calendar
Also in February: Super Bowl · White Turf · Vienna Opera Ball · Rio Carnival: the camarotes · Saudi Cup · Dubai International Boat Show · Frieze Los Angeles