On 6 January, as part of the celebrations for their Epiphany Festival, Venetian will line the paths alongside the Grand Canal to watch a boat race with a difference: the Regatta del Beganne (Witches’ Race).

The Regatta del Beganne began back in the late 1970s as something of a joke between two friend who decided to race each other in mascaretas (traditional boats powered by one oar only) while dressed as witches. All these years later, the event has grown to become one of the most fun of the Venetian festival calendar, organised by a historical rowing club, Cannotieri Bucintoro, and promising to launch the year’s regattas with a smile and a cheer.

Competitors – a handful of over-50s men, all in witch costumes – race along the Grand Canal from San Toma to the Rialto Bridge.  It’s something of a challenge in the mascaretas, which lack the bend of the classic gondola and so require a backward stroke after each forward one to keep on course.

At the finish line the winner is awarded mulled wine, sweets and a flag, and he arrives to a chorus of classic Venetian songs, like the following:

La Befana comes at night
With her shoes all tattered and torn
She comes dressed in the Roman way
Long live La Befana!

The huge stocking that was hung on the Rialto Bridge is taken down and its contents – sweets – handed out to children in the crowd.

Here’s a glimpse of last year’s race:

So what is the inspiration for this fun race? It comes down to the Befana – a witch, so legend tells, who brings gifts to children on Epiphany: sweets and toys for good ones, and coal for bad ones (much like Santa – children even leave stockings out on the eve of the 6th). Befana may be ugly, but she’s benignly so. She’s jolly and colourful and kind enough, apparently, to sweep up your home when she visits with the children’s gifts – so long as you leave her an offering of a glass of wine!