Over 20 weeks of summer in Malta and Gozo (June, July, August and September), but particularly during July and August, no less than 67 festas are celebrated over 92 days in cities and villages.
Since a festa takes a minimum of three days, and a few unfurl over five, and several may occur on the same day, it will be hard NOT to find a village party in Malta and Gozo.
Attending one is a must too, and an opportunity to soak up local culture, traditions and celebrations marked by stunning ground and aerial fireworks displays, marching bands, processions, and lots of food, drink and fun.
What’s a Festa?
Malta has a long history of festas, community events of religious origin held annually in village parishes across Malta and Gozo. They are a huge component of the Maltese culture.
Part religious ceremony, part riotous street fair, and part fireworks spectacle, a Maltese festa is like nothing you’ll find anywhere. Traditional Maltese festas celebrate the village’s patron saint with extravagantly festoon streets and decorated churches, boisterous marching bands, and masterful firework displays.
The main festa season in Malta starts towards the end of April and runs until the beginning of October, with festa season really gathering steam during summer.
Ever since the sixteenth century, feasts and processions in honour of the village patron saints have been accompanied by a music band, and band clubs continue to be an essential part of village life today, especially during festa season.
Fireworks
Pyrotechnics are an indispensable part of celebrations and life in Malta and Gozo and have existed since the time of the Knights of St John, more than 400 years ago. Today fireworks are an artform, and light up the sky during festas.
There are 35 pyrotechnic factories in Malta and Gozo, with 20 combined with local band clubs and three are entirely private. Over and above there are 70 pyrotechnic committees that do not have a factory but purchase fireworks for their celebrations.
Throughout the year, no less than 85 religious festas are celebrated in cities, towns and villages. Local preparations include festive street decorations, light-embellished churches, chiming bells, band clubs, and skies coloured by magnificent fireworks, arguably the best you’ll see anywhere.
Where To Attend A Festa in Malta ?
Most festas are dedicated to saints and disciples, Our Lady, Jesus Christ or historically religious events. The most locally and nationally celebrated this year will fall on:
JULY
7th – St. Paul, Rabat, Malta
14th – The Annunciation, Balzan
16th – Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Valletta
21st – St. Sebastian, Qormi
21st – St. George, Victoria, Gozo
21st – St. Joseph, Msida
21st – Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Zurrieq
28th – Christ the King, Paola
IN AUGUST
4th – St. Dominic, Valletta
6th – Christ Our Saviour, Lija
10th – St. Laurence, Birgu (Vittoriosa)
11th – San Gaetano, Hamrun
15th – The Assumption of Our Lady: Mqabba | Qrendi | Mosta | Gudja | Attard | Ghaxaq | Victoria (Rabat), Gozo | Birkirkara | Hal-Muxi Zebbug
18th – St Helen, Birkirkara
18th – Our Lady of Lourdes – Paola
25th – St Leonard – Kirkop
25th – St Dominic, Vittoriosa
Which festas are the best?
It’s hard to say one is better than another, but allow me to give details about which are regarded as being the most boisterous, the most popular and the best attended.
San Gaetano on Sunday, 11th August in Hamrun is the most boisterous and well-attended. Nowadays it is spread over five days and although not famed for fireworks it is undoubtedly the most musically best oriented for brass street band marches attended by many thousands.
The parish has two main bands, the San Gaetano Band and the St Joseph Band and they compete continually against each other to attract the most followers and celebrants. Never mind the heat and scintillating sun, beer and alcohol flow freely and physical movement is outstanding.
The feast of the Assumption on 15th August (a national and public holiday) is the most revered and is celebrated in eight parishes, the most prominent being Mosta and its magnificent dome.
Localities like Valletta, Paola, Sliema, Zebbug, Mqabba, Rabat and Qormi as well as Rabat in Gozo have more than one parish and these rival each other to produce the best, while Mqabba, Qrendi, Lija and Birkirkara compete in fireworks.
When it’s time to rest, hit the beautiful bays and beaches of Malta, guaranteed to be covered in sparkling sunshine during the summer.
Happy Festa!
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BeSeeingYou In: Malta
Good To Know: Festa’s are an integral part of Maltese culture
WOW! Factor: There are no less than 60 festas held during the summer
TIP: Go easy on the alcohol. Festas are long days and it’s a long season
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Author bio: Albert Fenech
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