The famous 2018 Carnival of Venice will begin on Saturday, January 27 and ends on Tuesday, February 13.
“The modern concept of carnival with masks may date back to medieval Venice (or earlier) or as late as early modern Florence. A particular aficionado of Carnival was Pope Leo X. Each year the people waited for the pope to issue an edict, which allowed for the festival to take place. However, the celebration of carnival was not foreordained”. Source: The Supreme Madness of the Carnival Season, by Francisco Macías.