In the first Sunday in September there is the Regata Storica, the annual trial of strength and skill for the city's gondoliers and other expert rowers.
The Regata Storica starts with a procession of decorated historic craft along the Grand Canal course, their crews all decked out in period dress.
Bystanders are expected to join in the support for the contestants in them main event, and may even be issued with appropriate colours.
There are four actual races :
- Reserved for the Very Young crew;
- Women
- Male crews (on 6-oared caorline)
- Rowing champions: constitutes the high spot of the event, that is to say it sees the famous rowing champions compete on gondolini which are a sporting development of the gondola and are only used in the city's major rowing contest.
The festivities reach a climax towards midnight with fireworks that are set off from pontoons spread along a 400 meter stretch between St. Mark's Basin and the Giudecca Canal.
Since 1978 they have been accompanied by music and are unanimously considered to be among the most spectacular in the world. Once the fireworks are over, the boats head for the Lido where, in keeping with tradition, their occupants await the sunrise.
