The Maltese Village Feast
Between June and September every Maltese village hosts its main event of the year – the Village Feast. The fest is a mix of religion and folklore and is held in honor of the patron saint of the village.
No visit to Malta between June and September would be complete without seeing a village Feast. 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 are at least a couple of feasts every weekend. The traditional feasts of the saints remain an integral part of the life of the Church and of the culture of the Maltese Islands.
The feast is one of the main events of each village. Each village is looking forward to the festivities throughout the whole year, month of planning and hard work of volunteers result in a major event.
The week-long festivities celebrate the parish patron saint. On the day of the feast, the statue of the patron saint is carried on shoulders of villagers through the village and showered with confetti. The Statue is accompanied by the village band as it goes around the village streets in a procession.
The feast consist of magnificent fireworks, band music and street life, for which the Maltese Islands are famous. Band music is one of the most popular traditions on the Islands. Every town and village has at least one, usually two band clubs.
During the three days of the spectacular, you see families gather at churches, and lots of crowds partying all over the village. Under the summer skies, families meet in the central village square to chat and catch up on local news. The village feast is basically the opportunity for all families to get together and above all it is the perfect occasion for visitors to experience Maltese village life. The church is illuminated with lights and decorated inside and out and parishioners do the same to their own houses. There are with lights decorated streets and bands play and march on the streets while locals dance around in the squares. Colorful fireworks are finishing the feast at night.
Undoubtedly, the village feast is one of the island’s most visual cultural festivities, and various aspects of such celebration would appeal, from food stands selling traditional Maltese foods and nougat to the spectacular exhibition of powerful set-piece fireworks. The entire village will be decorated with banners and flags whilst all the streets are brightly lit while the band marches through them during the week, followed by crowds of people enjoying the surroundings and music.
A lot of cautious preparation is held throughout the year, to get things set for the feast week whilst the events are very much of a spiritual nature. Book your accommodation and the evening excursions to the main village feasts now!!
