Carnival in Malta is an important event on the religious and cultural calendar. The five Carnival celebration days are normally held in February or early March when all-out silliness takes over parts of Malta.
This annual event is shared by many with the main centre of attraction being the large and brightly coloured floats passing through the streets of Floriana and Valletta.
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Carnival in Malta is held around the second weekend of February and will be celebrated between Friday 9th and Tuesday 13th February 2024.
Experience the greatness of the late Pawlu Curmi ‘Il-Pampalun’ and his involvement in the Carnival celebrations throughout the years.
When: 1st February 2024 – 3rd March 2024
Time: 09:00 AM – 21:00 PM
Where: Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta
Kickstart this year’s Carnival celebrations in Ħamrun. The festivities will feature the return of grotesque masks, floats, merriment groups and the traditional band parade.
When: Saturday, 3rd February 2024
Time: 10:00 AM onwards
Where: St Joseph High Street, Ħamrun
Il-Qarċilla is a traditional face that is associated with the Carnival celebrations. This year’s live theatrical performance was written by Alex Vella Gregory and directed and produced by Joseph Galea.
When: Thursday, 8th February 2024 and Friday, 9th February 2024
Time: 20:00 – 21:00 PM
Where: Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta
Language: Maltese
The first day of Malta’s Carnival celebrations centres around competitive dances by dance companies Sections A, B and D, a parade featuring King Carnival, grotesque masks and Dance company Section A and triumphal floats from Section D.
When: Friday, 9th February 2024
Time: 18:00 – 20:45 PM
Where: St George’s Square and Republic Street, Valletta
The Children’s Carnival features competitive dances from dance companies in Section C and a parade of the triumphal floats from Section C led by King Carnival.
When: Saturday, 10th February 2024
Time: 09:30 – 11:45 AM
Where: St George’s Square and Republic Street, Valletta
Il-Qarċilla is a traditional face that is associated with the Carnival celebrations. This year’s live theatrical performance was written by Alex Vella Gregory and directed and produced by Joseph Galea.
When: Saturday, 10th February 2024 and Sunday, 11th February 2024
Time: 15:00 PM, 16:00 PM, 17:00 PM, and 18:00 PM
Where: Ordinance Street, Valletta
Language: Maltese
A dance show at St George’s Square featuring competitive dances from dance companies in Sections B and D. The day’s events will also feature Triumphal Floats from Sections C and D along the Granaries and several popular streets in Valletta including Merchant’s Street, Archbishop Street, Republic Street, Girolamo Cassar Street and Freedom Square.
When: Sunday, 11th February 2024
Time: 10:00 – 13:00 PM
Where: St George’s Square and Republic Street, Valletta
A dance show at St George’s Square featuring competitive dances from dance companies in Sections A and C. The afternoon programme features a parade with the participation of King Carnival, alongside Company Floats and Triumphal Floats from dance companies in Sections A and B. Additionally, the traditional Carnival local band will also be taking part in Sunday’s events, alongside the band float and grotesque masks. The parade continues until late in the evening on Republic Street.
When: Sunday, 11th February 2024
Time: 15:30 – 18:00 PM
Where: St George’s Square and Republic Street, Valletta
A dance show at St George’s Square where dance companies in Sections A and C will be taking part. The défilé is also a highlight of the day, with the participation of King Carnival as well as Company Floats from Section A, together with Triumphal Floats from Sections A and B. The traditional Carnival local band will also be taking part, alongside the band float and grotesque masks. The parade continues until late in the evening on Republic Street.
When: Monday, 12th February 2024
Time: 17:30 – 20:30 PM
Where: St George’s Square and Republic Street, Valletta
A dance show at St George’s Square where all the competing dance companies in Sections A, B, C and D will be taking part.
When: Tuesday, 13th February 2024
Time: 17:30 – 20:30 PM
Where: St George’s Square and Republic Street, Valletta
The floats and all those participating in the festivities take centre stage one last time in the Carnival Gran Finale along St. Anne’s Street, Floriana.
When: Tues, 13th February 2024
Time: 18:00 PM onwards
Where: St Anne’s Street, Floriana
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The festivities around carnival in Malta normally include prolific late-night parties, masked balls, grotesque mask and dress competitions, costumed revellers, marching bands and a colourful parade of large floats. The carnival festival is normally opened with a light-hearted sword dance (Parata Dance) in honour of Malta’s conquest over the Turks in 1565, true to an age-old tradition. What follows is a show of song and dance, as well as a parade of the Carnival floats.
Building Carnival floats has become a true competition with several groups from around the Maltese Islands preparing, designing and constructing intricate and brightly coloured floats. Often, high-power sound installations are added to these structures to ensure that the float isn’t only the most eye-catching one of them all, but also makes their presence known through thumping beats, sometimes with a DJ spinning a set of turntables on the float itself.
The main celebrations and activities around Carnival in Malta take place in the Capital City, Valletta, in Freedom Square. Prizes are awarded for the best costumes, artistic dances, grotesque masks and floats. Although Valletta and Floriana set the main stage for Carnival celebrations, other localities in Malta and Gozo organise festivities of their own.
The most notable, or in some people’s eyes most notorious, celebration is the Nadur Carnival, which has grown in popularity in recent years. The event isn’t organised by any Carnival committee and is a kind of wild celebration where mostly youths gather, dressed up extravagantly and not particularly concerned with morals and standards, though all in good fun.
This year’s Gozo Carnival is no exception. Alongside all the celebrations happening in Nadur, other Gozitan towns and villages such as Qala, Għarb, Munxar, and Xagħra host their own festivities with the participation of local folk groups, dance companies, floats and grotesque masks.
What’s more, you can also visit the regional carnival in the heart of Victoria. Featuring a dancing show with multiple dance companies, sketches, local bands and carnivalesque items, you’re in for a treat! There will also be a parade that takes place on Republic Street, culminating in Independence Square (It-Tokk).
TIP: Every year, the Gozo ferry has a tough time coping with the large demand of Maltese youths flocking to Nadur for what’s practically become one big street party. If you’re planning on heading to Gozo for the Carnival celebrations, make sure you think ahead!
The feast has been celebrated since the 15th century, though the advent of the St. John Knights in 1535 boosted its importance. Back then, Carnival celebrations were held mainly in Birgu, with pageants, games and a display of skills by participating knights. Even in those days, Carnival stood for extravagance, where knights held large banquets and masquerades, oftentimes setting the scene for drunken brawls.
In the 19th century, the Malta carnival survived through British rule and has been handed down over the years in an unbroken tradition of almost six centuries. In the meantime, the Maltese Carnival has developed a wide range of events and games that have become part of the carnival tradition.
Carnival celebrations in Malta have come a long way and are still a deeply rooted feast practised by the Maltese people to date.
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The most popular Maltese food and sweets during this festivity include the Maltese carnival cake Prinjolata; a white dome-shaped cake, prepared with almonds, eggs, special seeds, cake etc and coated with beaten chocolate and meringue, decorated using cherries. Perlini are common sweets also made specifically for the carnival festivity. They are pure almonds coated in sugar of a wide range of colours.
Following the Carnival celebrations, the Easter follows with Ash Wednesday. Whereas the literal translation of Carnival means ‘Meat is allowed’, fasting during this period is still practised relatively widely by the Maltese, with many avoiding meat and sweets and least on Wednesdays and Fridays.
This year’s Carnival celebrations are taking place between the 3rd – 14th February, 2024. The dance shows, parades and parties are not only held in Floriana and Valletta. They are also held in some Maltese towns such as Ħamrun. You can also celebrate Carnival in Gozo by attending the famous Nadur street party.
The word Carnival is a literal translation of meat is allowed. In Malta, it is usually celebrated right before Lent, where fasting is still practised to this very day.
Some of the highlights of the Malta Carnival include colourful floats, grotesque masks and several dance competitions. These developed through time from traditions started by the Knights of St John in the 15th century, when they used to organise banquets and masquerade balls.
Edward is the Founder and Editor of Malta Uncovered and author of two guidebooks on Malta and Valletta.
As a tourist-turned-expat with Maltese roots, he knows the islands inside out and helps thousands of visitors enjoy a memorable trip every year.
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