No visit to the Islands between May and September would be complete without seeing a village festa in full swing, a poplular component of Maltese summer nightlife. It’s a chance to catch a slice of island life close up and be part of a tradition that stretches back to the 16th century. You won’t need to plan though to see one while you’re here. In summer, there’s at least a couple of festas every weekend
“The first village festa I attended was in one of the smaller more remote cascals. The church bells were clanging with no attempt at rhythm; rockets and Roman Candles were going off in rapid succession in all directions; Catharine-wheels were rotating around me the noise was almost as varied as barbaric as the Holy Fire in Jerusalem. During the rare pauses between the bangs of the explosives and the splutterings of the pyrothechnical diversions, was just able to catch the sound of chanting of an ecclesiastical procession, a faintly audible reminder that the excuse for all this sound was a religious anniversary.” Quotation of Sir Harry Luke, Lt-Governor of Malta between 1930 and 1938, on his experience at a local Maltese festa. Festas may seem chaotic exuberance at times, but a lot of careful planning goes into organising the week. And the event is still very much a spiritual affair.
Besides processions, band marches and confetti throwing, the Maltese pride themselves in performing spectacular firework displays, both in air and also the popular “juoco di fuoco” show, where fireworks are built onto ever increasingly complex revolving wheels attached on masts, powered solely by jet propulsion produced by colourful fireworks.
Spain has its fiesta; Maltese have the festa. Surely they are the same in the meaning but Maltese do it the best, with a fervor and effort unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Preparation starts well in advance of the date. Fireworks factories are hard at work producing what they hope to be the biggest bangs and the most colourful rockets. Band clubs in the feast will be rehearsing and the parish-priest is busy collecting enough money to cover the enormous expenses which go up to thousands of liri. It is the most solemn occasion of every village.
During the three days of tridum, you see families flock to churches, and lots of crowds partying all over the village. The church is illuminated with thousands of bulbs and festooned with decorations inside and out. Parishioners do the same to their own houses, often inviting family and friends over. The church’s treasures are available on show during this lovely occasion which every person should not miss.. There are illuminated and decorated streets. Bands play band marches on the streets while locals (in their thousands) dance around in the squares. Colourful fireworks (generally Murtaletti Spanjoli), small Spanish colourful bombs, are let off at all times of day while in the evening there is the Giggifogu, a corruption of the Italian, “guoco di fuoco”, translating as “fire games”.
On the actual feast day, the statue of the patron saint is carried around the streets of the town shoulder high, and showered with confetti as it wends its way through the streets, to the cheers of the enthusiastic crowds.
There is something unusually captivating about a typical Maltese village festa. It is a time for both spiritual contemplation and for the whole parish to come together. The festa is the main social event in the village year. Festa week is the outcome of months of hard work by willing volunteers and villagers feel a strong, close-knit camaraderie after so many months of preparation.
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