All photos by Melvin Degiorgio

One of Malta’s most magical nights is returning to Birgu this weekend, promising three days of art, music, food and, most importantly, a whole lot of candlelight. As rumours of a possible cancellation started circulating, however, the Birgu Local Council has come out to clear the air.

“The Birgu Local Council categorically denies the rumours that are being spread that this weekend’s Birgufest 2018 events, particularly those on Saturday, will not be happening,” a post shared on Facebook clarified yesterday.

Sharing the announcement, the Birgufest organisers went on to say that “everything is planned for this weekend” and that they were excited for the days ahead.

Rumours of cancellations no doubt started circulating due to this weekend’s weather forecast, which is currently showing the possibility of thunderstorms for all three days of the festival. From a dip in highs that won’t see temperatures go over 25°C (alongside evenings as cool as 18°C) to Force 4-5 winds and chances of rainfall that go all the way up to 90%, it seemed very believable that Birgufest might have to be postponed or cancelled. However, it appears like everything will still be continuing as planned.

Every night, the medieval city’s streets are lined with candles of all forms for the traditional extravaganza Birgu By Candlelight, creating a magical atmosphere all over Vittoriosa. Residents decorate their houses and their own narrow streets, attracting thousands of enthralled visitors over the weekend festival.

This year, the 12th, 13th and 14th October will see a long programme jam-packed with events, from guided tours around some of the city’s most historical landmarks to a list of entertainers. Think everything from traditional folk and archery, to some of the most popular contemporary bands, all beautifully lit by thousands of candles.

More information on this weekend’s Birgu By Candelight festival – along with the full programme for the next three days – can be found here. In the meantime, Malta Public Transport has also rolled out special services for the weekend ahead.

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David Grech Urpani

Lovin Malta's Head of Content, Dave has been in journalism for the better half of the last decade. Prefers Instagram, but has been known to doomscroll on TikTok. Loves chicken, women's clothes and Kanye West (most of the time).