Carnival | What's On

March 4

18:00 to 21:00 

Dance Competition

Held at the Triton Fountain and Carnival Parade in the main streets of Valletta (Seating tickets at €5).

19:30

Carnival Band Parade

Featuring the Maltese band Big Friends Guggen Musik. The band will play an array of instruments and feature colourful costumes and dances. It will leave from St George’s Square.

08:00 to 17:00

Exhibition

Featuring drawings, miniature floats, masks and collages by primary and secondary school children organised by the Youth Service Organisation within the Education Directorate.

March 5

Children’s Carnival

09:30 to 11:30

Children’s Dance Programme and Parade

Held near the Triton Fountain. Seating tickets €5.

09:30 to 11:30

Carnival Parade

Parade through Castille Place, Merchants Street, St John Street and Republic Street with the participation of King Carnival, Maskeruni, Marching Bands and Company (Section C) Floats.

10:30

Carnival Band Parade

Featuring the Maltese band Big Friends Guggen Musik. The band will play an array of instruments and feature colourful costumes and dances. It will leave from St George’s Square.

16:00 to 20:00

Carnival Parade

Parade in Valletta with the participation of King Carnival, Maskeruni, Marching Bands, Triumphal Floats and Company Floats.

17:00 to 21:00

Dance Competition and Carnival Parade

Featuring the participation of Triumphal Floats and Company Floats near the Triton Fountain. Seating tickets at €12.

18:30

Carnival Band Parade

Featuring the Maltese brass band Soċjeta’ Mużikali Banda Maria Reġina. The band, made up of more than 40 musicians will also feature colourful costumes and dances. The band will leave from St George’s Square.

March 6

12:30 to 20:30

Grand Carnival Parade

Parade in Valletta and St Anne Street, Floriana with the participation of King Carnival, Grotesque Masks, Marching Bands, Triumphal Floats and Dance Company Floats.

14:00 to 17:30

Grand Carnival Spectacle

Celebration near the Triton Fountain with the participation of King Carnival, Grotesque Masks, Marching Bands, Triumphal Floats, Dance Companies and Company Floats. Seating tickets at €15.

14:30

Carnival Band Parade

Featuring the Maltese band Big Friends Guggen Musik. The band will play an array of instruments and feature colourful costumes and dances. It will leave from St George’s Square.

March 7

10:30 to 13:30

Carnival Band Parade

Parade and dancing in the main streets and squares of Valletta with the participation of Carnival Bands Big Friends Guggen Musik and Soċjeta’ Mużikali Banda Maria Reġina, Dance schools and Dance Companies and Maskeruni along the main streets of Valletta, followed by a dance programme in St George’s Square.

From 15:00

Carnival Parade

Parade through the streets of Valletta with the participation of King Carnival, Triumphal Floats, Dance Company Floats and Grotesque Masks.

16:00 to 19:30

Dance Competition and Carnival Parade

Celebrations by the Triton Fountain. Seating tickets at €5.

17:30

Carnival Band Parade

Parade by the Brass Band Grupp Muzikali Trinita’ Qaddisa.  The band will play an array of instruments and will leave from St George’s Square.

08:00 to 17:00

Exhibition

Featuring drawings, miniature floats, masks and collages by primary and secondary school children organised by the Youth Service Organisation within the Education Directorate.

March 8

10:30 to 13:30           

Carnival Band Parade

Parade and dancing in the main streets and squares of Valletta with the participation of Carnival Bands Soċjeta’ Mużikali Banda Maria Reġinaand Grupp Muzikali Trinita’ Qaddisa, Dance schools and Dance Companies and Maskeruni along the main streets of Valletta, followed by a dance programme in St George’s Square.

11:00

Carnival Costume Competition in St George’s Square.

17:30

Carnival Band Parade

Parade by the Maltese band Big Friends Guggen Musik. The band will play an array of instruments and feature colourful costumes and dances. It will leave from St Anne Street, Floriana.

17:30 to 22:00

Grand Finale at St Anne Street, Floriana with the participation of the Triumphal Floats and Dance Company Floats.

08:00 to 17:00

Exhibition

Featuring drawings, miniature floats, masks and collages by primary and secondary school children organised by the Youth Service Organisation within the Education Directorate.

Live Transmission

Carnival will be broadcast on the national television channels TVM, Education 22and www.di-ve.com.  

Carnival Competition Participants

This year’s participants are:

3 Triumphal Floats- Category A

3 Triumphal Floats- Category B

3 Triumphal Floats- Category C

3 Groups of Masks

7 Individual Masks

3 Dance Companies- Category C

5 Dance Companies- Category B

4 Dance Companies- Category A

Competition Results

The competition results will be published on the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts website www.maltaculture.com.

Booking information

The Dance Competitions, Carnival Parade, Grand Spectacle and the Children’s Carnival are best viewed from the special Carnival Seating platform set up near the Triton Fountain, Valletta. Seat tickets are moderately priced between 5 euros and 15 euros and may be booked by logging onto www.maltaticket.com or telephone 2784 2538 or email [email protected] or authorised shops. The ticket booth will be open two hours prior to each event.

Carnival events around Malta and Gozo

March 3 – 8

Exhibition showing Carnival in the San Gejtanu Band Club – organised by Kummissjoni Żgħażagħ Tamlin, Għaqda San Gejtanu

March 4

Qormi Carnival Band Parade– organised by the Qormi Local Council.  

Time: 19:30

March 4

Children’s Carnival– organised by the Nadur Local Council in collaboration with the Nadur Primary School.

Venue: Nadur Primary School, Nadur, Gozo.

March 4

Carnival Spectacle– organised by Ħaż-Żebbuġ Local Council. The spectacle will include dance companies from schools together with Children’s Choirs performing various popular songs, the folkloristic duo Greenfields, grotesque masks and small floats and a Carnival Band from Italy. A number of sketches will be performed with the participation of Joe (id-Dulli) and Veronica Farrugia.

Venue: St Philip Square, Ħaż-Żebbuġ.

Time: 18:30.

March 4

Carnival Costume Competition and Serata Karnivaleska (Carnival Activity)– organised by the Xewkija Local Council.   A comedy will be performed by Għaqda Drammatika tax-Xewkija.    Various trophies will be awarded to the winners.  

Venue: Parish Centre, Xewkija, Gozo.

Time: 18:30.

Afterwards a Grand Ball will be held at St John the Baptist’s Church, Xewkija, Gozo.

March 4 – 8

The Spontaneous Carnival

Venue: December 13th Street, Nadur, Gozo.

Time: After sunset onwards.

March 4 – 8

The Spontaneous Carnival

Venue: Main Street, Xewkija.

Time: 20:00.

March 5

Traditional re-enactment by the Xagħra Historical Re-enactment Group

Venue: Begins in Ġnien Xibla Street and ends in Nazzarenu Square, Xagħra, Gozo.

Time: 19:30.

Carnival programme presented by Joe Louis Sciberras. Gozitan primary schools and local dance companies will participate. Carnival competitions will be held. During the programme, there will be the kukkanja and the traditional kumittiva dance. Popular comic actor Joe Farrugia (‘id-Dulli’) will present a one-hour show. The activity ends with live music by the local band ‘Synergie’. There will be Carnival games for children and the traditional Gozitan ftira will be on sale.

Venue: Nazzarenu Square, Xagħra, Gozo.

Time: 19:30.

March 5

Carnival Activity– organised by Xewkija Local Council including a défilé and dance variety show.  

Venue: Triq San Bert u Pjazza San Ġwann Battista, Xewkija.

Time: 18:00.

March 5

Carnival Activity– organised by San Pawl il-Baħar Local Council.

Venue: Outside St Paul’s Bay Parish Church, St Paul’s Street, St Paul’s Bay.

Time: 13:30 – 17:00.

March 5

Ballu tal-Karnival (Carnival Ball)– organised by St Helen Band Club, Birkirkara.

For more information and tickets kindly call on 27442196/79943077.

Venue: The Hall, St Helen’s Band Club, Birkirkara.

Time: 20:30.

March 5

Karnival f’SanĠiljan – organised by St Julian’s Local Council.   The spectacle will include dance and music by various Carnival companies.

Venue: Pjazza Qalb ta’ Ġesu’ in front of police station.

Time: 15:00 – 18:30.

March 5

Variety Carnival Show– organised by Xewkija Local Council.   The show includes dance by various Carnival companies, small and large floats and grotesque masks.   Comperes: Veronica u id-Dulli.

Venue: Triq San Bert and Pjazza San Ġwann Battista, Xewkija, Gozo.

Time: 18:00.

March 5 and 6

Carnival Weekend

Carnival Band Parade and Costume Competition.  

Venue: Along the promenade and the village core, St Paul’s Bay.   Event organised by St Paul’s Bay Local Council.

March 6

Carnival in Xagħra– the main Carnival programme in Xagħra includes Carnival band marches by the VictoryPhilharmonic Society, the traditional Carnival dance ‘Il-Kumittiva’, performances by several Gozitan dance groups, and Carnival floats and costumes etc.   

Venue: Victory Square. Xagħra, Gozo.

Time: 09:30 till 14:30.

March 6

Carnival Activity

Event organised by Marsascala Local Council. The programme will include a défilé by various dance classes and a performance by St Anne’s Band. At 10.00am a competition of costumes for children of 5 to 12 years will be held at Saint Anne’s Gardens. There will also be a competition for dogs in carnival costumes.

Time: 09:30.   

March 6

Attivita’ tal-Karnival (Carnival Activity)– organised by Ħad-Dingli Local Council.   A Children’s and Pet’s Carnival Costume Show will be held. A Michael Jackson Tribute Show, amongst other local talent, will be featured as part of the show.

Venue: Main Street, Ħad-Dingli. (Next to Francis Ebejer’s monument).

Time: 09:30.  

March 6

Carnival Défilé– organised by Xewkija Local Council.   The défilé will start from Triq ta’ Ġokk and Triq Ħamrija. Xewkija, Gozo with the participation of Prekursur Band and Carnival floats.   The traditional Kukkanja will also be held.

Time: 10:00.

March 6

Carnivart

Activities related to Carnival including hands-on activities for the whole family and guided tours.

Venue: The National Museum of Fine Arts, South Street, Valletta.

March 7

Final Carnival programme presented by Anthony Theuma and Orietta Gatt. During this programme, there will be a défilé of Carnival floats, dance by local companies and grotesque masks. The winners of the Carnival competitions will be announced and prizes will be distributed to the participants. The traditional dance Il-Kumittiva will be performed.

Venue: Victory Square, Xagħra, Gozo.

Time: 19:00.

During the carnival celebrations running until March 9, the Valletta Bus Terminus is to be shifted in its entirety to the Park and Ride site in Floriana. Passengers will alight along Sarria Road. The same buses alighting passengers along Sarria Road will board passengers and transfer them to the temporary bus terminus from where they will be able to board any bus to their destination.