The Regata delle Befane is a cherished Venetian tradition held annually on January 6th, coinciding with the celebration of the Epiphany. It is a whimsical event featuring veteran rowers from the Reale Società Canottieri Bucintoro, Venice’s oldest rowing club, founded in 1882.

All rowers, who must be over 50, dress up as Befane, complete with long skirts, shawls, aprons, and bonnets. They race their traditional Venetian rowing boats, called mascarete, along the Grand Canal, bringing an atmosphere of playful festivity to the city’s iconic waterways.