By Alysia Gray Painter

The heart of Carnevale in Venice is art, and all of art's attending qualities: mystery, beauty, history, joy, mirth, depth. Revelers don colorful, ribbon-bedecked masks as part of the highly visual scene, and feasts for the eyes reign.

It can be difficult to summon the spirit of the canal-beautiful town to one's own town, outside of, perhaps, preparing an authentic Venetian dish or singing the traditional songs of the gondoliers. But hosting a Carnevale based around street painting, with many Madonnari in attendance, can capture much of the joie de vivre the city is famous for.

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Source: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/