Dates for
February
May
Carnival
Lejlet Lapsi
Notte Gozitana
A week of colourful celebrations
before the sacred period of Lent,
In the preparation for the feast
with traditional floats, fancy dress
of the Ascension of the Lord, a
and grotesque masks. Carnival
weekend of music, arts, tours
is celebrated throughout the
and crafts takes place anually in
islands, but the main events are
Gozo
held in Valletta, and in Nadur,
Gozo.
March
Good Friday
Processions throughout Malta and
Gozo see the carrying of life-size
statues depicting scenes from
the Passion of Christ, mostly
accompanied by men and women
dressed as Biblical characters.
Easter Sunday
This is a day of Joy, contrasting
Good Friday. Sunday morning
processions take place in many
towns and villages, where the
statue of the Risen Christ is
carried through the streets. In
some towns, the bearers even
run with the statue up the church
steps!
June
L-Imnarja
Harvest festival dating back
hundreds of years, with an
agricultural show and traditional
horse races up the Saqqajja Hill
in Rabat.
Malta Music Week
A week of gigs in Malta and
Gozo in June, all leading up to
the Isle of MTV festival event
in Floriana, where international
superstars line the stage every
year.
Ghanafest
Traditional Maltese folk music
is celebrated in three days of
live music in Floriana's Argotti
Gardens
April
Fireworks Festival
July
A noisy and colourful festival of
Malta Jazz Festival
fireworks and pyrotechnics, with
traditional folk music and other
Outdoor performances of jazz
entertainment, all set against the
music, held beneath the bastions
spectacular back-drop of the Grand
of Valletta in the third weekend
Harbour.
of July.
Medieval Mdina
Malta Arts Festival
Mdina serves as the perfect
For three weeks from early July,
backdrop for a whole weekend
this festival brings together
dedicated to medieval events,
muric, dance, theatre, and
which include human chess, birds
literature in performances and
of prey, archery, and traditional
exhibitions aound Valletta and
medieval food.
Floriana.
40