The Venetian-Macao Resort Hotel has launched its first Venetian Festival. A celebration of one of the world’s most extraordinary cities, The Venetian Festival aims to bring the authentic flavours, tastes and culture of Venice to Macau, and is scheduled to run until October 21 at The Grand Canal Shoppes.

“We are delighted to be bringing The Venetian Festival to Macao, and to share with local Macau residents as well as the many international visitors to our property some of that city’s defining foods and products,” said Mr. Mark Brown, President of Sands Macao and the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. “All the special offerings here at The Venetian are part of our towering tribute to Venice, a city renowned for its architectural splendour, canals where gondoliers serenade romantic couples, some of the finest masterpieces of Western art, and a city which is almost legendary for its exquisite beauty. Visitors will be delighted at every turn by the great artistic achievements for which Venice is justly famous, so that they can experience the romance and revelry of that famed Italian city here in Macau.”

The Venetian Festival will showcase a series of cultural activities, many of which are the very essence of Venice and Veneto, including the production of artistic glass, the making of gondolas, and, of course, the culinary delights of Venetian food and wine.

The production of artistic glass features one of the most revolutionary inventions in glassmaking technology – glassblowing – the discovery of which can be traced back to the 1st century BC, and which is found in Roman and Islamic glasswork but was perfected in Venice, on the island of Murano, now the centre of this craft, creating glasswork in marvelous shapes and an astonishing array of colours.

The gondola is the typical black wooden boat used in Venice for the transportation of people along its many canals. The distinctive shape of the gondola is a soaring hull, flat bottom and elevated points, finished in gold. Gondola builders construct both the hull and the main body of the vessel from special woods found only in the mountains of Veneto.

Veneto is no less famous for its wine, and is now one of the main producers in Italy and in Europe. Venetian wine uses a variety of indigenous grapes unique to the region, many of which are increasingly appreciated by leading vintners around the world.

“We are thrilled to be bringing Venice and Veneto to Macau, to share with local people and tourists many of the products and artefacts for which Venice and Veneto are rightly famous,” said Mr. Walter Brunello, Regional Minister for Agriculture and Tourism of the Veneto. “The Venetian Macao is itself an extraordinary celebration of Venice, with so many buildings beautifully reproduced, with bridges and canals, and by promoting our culture here, in Macau, we hope that more people will want to come to Venice to see it for themselves.”

During The Venetian Festival, there will be a series of events to celebrate the art and culture of Venice, including glass blowing, gondola-building workshops, cooking demonstrations and wine tasting. All these events are scheduled from noon until late in the evening, on October 7, October 12-14, 19-21. Visitors can also take part in the “Be A Venetian” Promotion for the chance to win prizes in an instant draw.

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