Exploding into summer

The tenth edition of the Malta International Fireworks Festival will be exploding its way across the Valletta Grand Harbour next weekend, with both local and international firework displays, later accompanied by music.

Organised by The Parliamentary Secretariat for Tourism, The Environment and Culture in conjunction with the Malta Tourism Authority, this year’s Festival, held on April 29 and 30, will also be celebrating seven years of Malta’s accession into the European Union (2004).

The festival will boast six pyro-musical displays and five shorter ones, the latter of which will compete for best trophy. The prize will be decided by vote, which can be sent via blank SMS (see boxed programme for details). This year’s programme also features three foreign firework displays, as Venefuegos from Venezuela, Pyrovision from Austria and Parente from Italy will showcase 10 to 15 minute displays. 

The fireworks displays will begin at 21:00 and end at 22:30 on each night. The fireworks will be followed by musical performances at the venue, as Claudia Faniello and William Mangion will be performing on Friday, with a more rock-heavy set on Saturday as Chasing Pandora and Red Elecktrick take the stage. Standing admission is free, while seats are available for €2.

The fireworks tradition in Malta goes way back – in fact, it can be traced to the Knights of St John. The aristocratic Order would celebrate its most important feasts with pyrotechnic displays, which were also used to express joy on special occasions, such as the election of a Grand Master or a Pope, as well as on the birth of a prince

It is possible that pyrotechnics were a development of cannon shots and musket fire. The ‘feu de joie’ was a salute by the musketeers signifying a celebratory welcome for any dignitary. This eventually evolved into the ‘musketterija’ – the series of explosions and crackers firing in rapid succession that we know today.

With 32 fireworks factories on the island, and double as many villages celebrating local feasts with fireworks, the tradition remains alive and well in Malta, despite a number of very real tragedies occurring as a result of the enduring tradition.

For more information call  22915440-1 or 23696073/4; email: [email protected]; website: www.visitmalta.com. You may also follow the event on Facebook.