The Festa del Redentore, or Feast of the Redeemer, is one of Venice’s most meaningful and beloved celebrations. Held every year on the third weekend of July, it commemorates the end of the terrible plague that devastated Venice between 1575 and 1577, claiming tens of thousands of lives.

During the epidemic, the Venetian Senate vowed to build a church dedicated to Christ the Redeemer if the city were delivered from the disease. When the plague finally ended, the magnificent Church of Il Redentore was built on the island of Giudecca. Designed by the celebrated architect Andrea Palladio, it remains a powerful symbol of gratitude, remembrance and renewal.

For Venetians, Redentore is much more than a historical festival. Families and friends decorate boats with flowers, lanterns and colorful garlands before gathering on the lagoon for an evening picnic. Tables are filled with traditional Venetian dishes, wine and summer treats as boats crowd the waters near St. Mark’s Basin and the Giudecca Canal.

Late on Saturday night, a spectacular fireworks display illuminates the lagoon, with bursts of color reflected across the water and the facades of Venice. The celebration continues into Sunday with religious services, processions and traditional rowing regattas.

Despite swoltering temperatures, the kind you could fry an egg on Strata Nuova (the main street in Cannaregio) with just a short sprinkle of rain in the afternoon, the fireworks and festivities were not to be missed.

My favorite is this photo showing all the small boats in the lagoon in front of Piazza San Marco. Each boat loaded with friends and family and delicious foods they have been preparing for days with such local delicacies as Baccalà Mantecato (whipped salt cod), Sarde in Saor (marinated sardines with onions, raisins, and pine nuts) and a variation with Shrimp in Saor. Of course you bring your favorite Veneto wines, a good Prosecco is a must. You have to arrive early to get your favorite spot to be near your friends. Once there you can cool off a bit, enjoy the hum of the conversations across the water and join in with the singing of traditional Venetian songs. And then you settle in to wait for the fireworks to begin.

This year there was an unwelcome visitor, the American Ambassador. The locals protested. First it is a uniquely Venetian celebration. Then he showed up in his 117-meter (384-foot) superyacht, the Boardwalk. Venetians did not welcome him, the 300 demonstrators were pushed back by a brief, limited police charge after attempting to approach the yacht.

A temporary pontoon bridge is also constructed across the Giudecca Canal, allowing people to walk from the Zattere to the Church of Il Redentore. Crossing this bridge remains an important act of pilgrimage and remembrance.

Redentore captures the spirit of Venice: faith born from tragedy, gratitude for survival and the joy of sharing food, music and companionship on the lagoon. It is a celebration created by Venetians, cherished by local families and deeply connected to the history and heart of the city.