Carnivals and feasts
Carnival, Victoria
Carnival in Victoria is celebrated over a number of days during late February or early March. These culminate at Independence Square, where there is entertainment by carnival floats, grotesque masks companies, brass bands and dance companies.
Carnival
Procession of the Risen Christ
In Victoria on Easter Sunday, various parishes organize processions with the statue of the Risen Christ. These processions offer a sharp contrast to those of Good Friday as the sombre atmosphere gives way to a general expression of joy. In some parishes the bearers run with the statue for the last part of the procession. At the end of each dash, the bearers lift the statue high up on their arms as a sign of victory.
Procession of the Risen Christ
Feast of the Shipwreck of Saint Paul, Munxar
The small but beautiful village of Munxar, on the southern tip of Victoria, celebrates this feast during May. It is the climax of a week's religious and cultural celebrations
Spontaneous Street Carnival, Nadur
The traditional spontaneous carnival takes place over a week in late June, and attracts a very large crowd. Participants wear all kinds of grotesque, bizarre costumes, and there is a cacophony of horns, bells, banging and whistling. Folk music is played in bars along December 13th Street, using traditional instruments like zaqq (bagpipe), zafzafa (friction drum) and zummara (reed pipe).
Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fontana
Fontana is just outside Victoria, and took its name from a spring at the bottom of the road leading to Xlendi. Most of the fishermen that operated from Xlendi lived in Fontana, and late in the nineteenth century they began setting aside part of the proceeds from their catches to raise a church, which was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1905. The feast is in June.
Feast of St. George, Victoria
For this feast, held in July, traditional horse races are held in Republic Street on Sunday afternoon.
Feast of St Margaret, Sannat
The community of Sannat celebrates the feast of its patron saint over a weekend in July.
Feast of St Margaret, Sannat
Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Xlendi
The feast is celebrated in mid-August. Activities start early in the afternoon with the traditional ġostra and other water sports. A procession with the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel accompanied by the Leone Band Club of Victoria is held in the evening.
Feast of Santa Marija, Żebbuġ
This feast is held in late August. The church has an antique altar piece showing the Immaculate Conception: legend has it that the radiant face of the Virgin turns yellowish before an impending natural catastrophe.
Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, Xagħra
The feast is held on 8th September. The parish church of Xagħra is dedicated to Il-Vitorja (Our Lady of Victories) with reference to the Victory of the Knights of Malta over the Turks in the Great Siege of 1565.
Feast of Santa Marija, Żebbuġ