BIRGUFEST 2018 – BIRGU BY CANDLELIGHT

12/10/2018 – 14/10/2018

About Birgu Fest

If you are planning a trip to the Maltese Islands in Autumn 2018, then you are in for a cultural treat! Birgufest 2018 is a celebration of culture and art, which will be taking place in Birgu (also known as Vittoriosa), one of Malta’s oldest and most historic cities. The city is flanked by Kalkara, Bormla, and Cospicua, and set adjacent to the majestic Grand Harbour. It is also considered by many as one of the most spectacular and picturesque locations on the island.

What started off as a few small events has now developed into a larger programme spanning over a whole weekend. Visitors can now enjoy different experiences such as, historical reenactments and dinner by candlelight in the beautiful town square. All the streets and houses are lit up with candles, chandeliers hang in the streets, and music ruminates throughout the winding pathways. 

Most of the museums and historical buildings in the area open at a discounted price. This includes the magnificent architectural gem of Fort St. Angelo, which is a large bastioned fort located at the centre of the Grand Harbour.

Visitors are encouraged to take their time to discover the area. They can do so by taking in different exhibitions by local artists, visiting a variety of musical concerts, the different historical buildings and museums, tasting a wide selection of Maltese food, and much more!

Programme

The 2018 edition kicks off on Friday 12^th  October with schoolchildren visiting places of cultural and historical interest in Birgu during the morning and will include the Maritime Museum, the Auberge of France, the Inquisitors Palace and the Churches of St. Lawrence, the Annunciation and St. Anne of the cloistered nuns convent of St. Scholastica. Open for the public will also be the Church Museum of St. Lawrence and the Cloister of the Dominican Friars respectively.

On Saturday 13th October apart from the spectacular evening Candle lit City, renowned performers will be roaming about the narrow winding streets entertaining the street audiences. Concerts in churches and street musicians will be participating during the evening in several street corners. Traditional lacemakers will be posted in different streets in the city core to show off their traditional and talented workmanship. 

Sunday should be wholly a family treat, a day spent out in Birgu. One can spend the day from dawn to dusk by visiting places of interest, attending mass, dine at one of the many outlets in the city core or on the seafront. Throughout the festival, stalls will be selling delicious snacks available to quench the thirst and hunger of the many visitors who will once more choose to visit Birgu during the Festival while enjoying themselves to four packed days of cultural life. The Birgu Local Council invites you to join the local population in this wonderful experience whilst enriching the historical and cultural knowledge about the City of the Knights and its contribution to the national development of the Maltese Islands along the centuries.

Poster

Further Information

If you would like to learn more about this event, visit the Birgufest Facebook page.