Festivals in Malta 2026-2027: Dates and Where to Go

The festivals in Malta worth planning a 2026-2027 trip around run from Notte Bianca in Valletta on 3 October 2026 to the Malta Jazz Festival’s confirmed 5-10 July 2027 dates, with the Valletta Baroque Festival (7-24 January 2027) and the Malta International Arts Festival (11-20 June 2027) as the largest government-backed draws. This page lists 17 festivals with their 2026 and 2027 dates, checked against each festival’s own website or Festivals Malta’s official programme in September 2026, plus the food, trade and reenactment events that fill the rest of the Maltese calendar.

Malta is a small archipelago in the central Mediterranean, and almost every flagship festival on this page happens in or around Valletta, the fortified capital, with Floriana, Attard and Gozo hosting the rest. Five things changed for this season: Notte Bianca marked its 20th edition in October 2026; BirguFest’s 2026 programme shifted from concerts to a heritage weekend of guided tours, torch-lit forts and a historical reenactment; Rock the South turned out to be a Maltese alternative and indie festival rather than the country and reggae event some older listings describe; Għajnafest and the Ritmu Roots Festival are the same event under its current name, Festgħana, with 2027 dates already confirmed; and Glitch Festival’s 2027 pre-sale sold out before the general tickets went live. The city guides, food and transport behind these events are covered in the Malta travel guide.

The Malta festival calendar for 2026 and 2027 is listed below in date order, with the confirmed dates where Festivals Malta or the organiser has published them and the usual timing for festivals that have not yet announced a 2027 edition.

1. Notte Bianca

Notte Bianca takes place in Valletta on Saturday 3 October 2026, according to Festivals Malta’s official event page, and 2026 marks the festival’s 20th edition. Notte Bianca turns Valletta’s streets, squares, state palaces, museums and churches into a free, all-night celebration of the arts, with shops, cafés and restaurants extending their hours to match. Valletta is Malta’s capital city on the main island’s north-east coast, and Sliema, the nearest major town, sits 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) away across Marsamxett Harbour.

Notte Bianca began in Valletta in 2006 as Lejl Imdawwal (“Lit Up Night”) and has run every October since. Festivals Malta, the national body that organises the event, built the 2026 Main Stage programme around the Italian pop-rock act The Kolors, alongside more than 50 events spread through the capital’s streets, squares and heritage sites. Past line-ups have featured Maltese singer Emma Muscat and the Italian band Le Vibrazioni.

Notte Bianca sits on the European Heritage Days calendar as an example of a single night that opens a capital’s palaces, museums and churches free of charge, and the Grandmaster’s Palace joins the smaller state museums in extending hours to match. Side streets and courtyards across Valletta host acoustic sets, art installations and pop-up performances alongside the Main Stage in St George’s Square, so visitors who arrive early can work through several smaller stages before the headline act.

Visitors reach Valletta by bus or ferry from Sliema, Floriana and the Three Cities, and parking inside the city is very limited on the night. Valletta, Sliema, St Julian’s and Floriana offer hotels, hostels and apartments within a short bus or ferry ride of the festivities. Notte Bianca does not sell general admission tickets; almost every event is free, though a handful of ticketed indoor shows may charge an entry fee.

2. Isle of MTV

Isle of MTV Malta’s 2026 main concert took place on Wednesday 22 July at Il-Fosos Square (the Granaries) in Floriana, according to the festival’s official site, as part of a Malta Music Week that ran from 22 to 26 July. Isle of MTV had not announced its 2027 dates at the time of writing, though the concert has fallen in July every year since it began. Floriana sits immediately next to Valletta on the main island’s north-east coast.

Isle of MTV started in 2007 and has hosted Lady Gaga, Enrique Iglesias, Martin Garrix, David Guetta and Snoop Dogg over the years. The 2026 edition was headlined by Katy Perry and the DJ Afrojack, with Maltese pop artist Aidan, and the wider Music Week added a boat party, a G7 Fridays set from NERVO at Gianpula, a Café del Mar set from GORDO and a Dizzee Rascal pool party at Toy Room Beach Club.

The Isle of MTV brand runs sister concerts in other European countries, and Malta’s edition, now approaching two decades old, remains one of the longest-running in the series. Aidan, the Maltese pop artist who joined the 2026 main stage line-up, has become one of the festival’s regular local acts alongside each year’s international headliners.

People travelling to Il-Fosos Square take the bus or ferry from Sliema to Valletta or Floriana, since parking near the venue is limited to designated lots. Hotels, hostels, B&Bs and vacation rentals in Valletta, Floriana and Sliema sit within reach of the festival grounds by public transport. Isle of MTV does not sell general admission tickets, because the main concert is free and first-come, first-served; a limited run of VIP tickets covers the elevated viewing platform beside the stage. Doors typically open several hours before the headline set, and early arrival is the only way to secure a spot close to the barrier at a free, unticketed event of this size.

3. Malta Jazz Festival

The Malta Jazz Festival returns to Valletta from 5 to 10 July 2027, according to the confirmed dates on Festivals Malta’s official event page. The Malta Jazz Festival’s 2026 edition, which ran from 6 to 11 July, centred its programme on the Ta’ Liesse waterfront overlooking the Grand Harbour, with further concerts at the Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MICAS) and the Valletta Campus Theatre. Valletta is Malta’s capital on the north-east coast.

The first Malta Jazz Festival was held in 1990 and has hosted names such as Chick Corea, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Gregory Porter over more than three decades. The 2026 programme opened with the Dominic Galea Quartet’s tribute to Maltese jazz composers on 6 July and included the Vincent Bourgeyx Trio, Guilhem Flouzat, the Toninho Horta 4tet with Seamus Blake, Mathias Allamane and Jeff Ballard, two nights at Ta’ Liesse and a children’s concert; the 2027 headline acts had not been announced at the time of writing.

The Malta Jazz Festival grew from a single outdoor stage in St George’s Square into a multi-venue event, and moving its main stage to the Ta’ Liesse waterfront put the flagship concerts directly on the Grand Harbour rather than inside the city walls. MICAS, the Malta International Contemporary Art Space, joined the venue list in 2026 to host smaller, ticketed sets alongside the free outdoor programme.

Ticket tiers for the 2026 Ta’ Liesse concerts ranged from €22.73 ($25, £19) for one day of free seating or standing up to €54.55 ($59, £46) for a two-day VIP seat, with concession prices from €13.64 ($15, £12), sold through festivals.mt/mjf. Valletta, Sliema, Floriana and St Julian’s offer hotels, apartments and hostels within a short bus or ferry ride of the venues, and parking inside Valletta is minimal, so public transport is the practical way to reach the harbourfront stages.

4. Malta International Arts Festival

The Malta International Arts Festival (MIAF) runs from 11 to 20 June 2027 in Valletta and other venues, according to the confirmed dates on Festivals Malta’s official MIAF page. MIAF’s 2026 edition ran from 12 to 21 June and, under artistic director Ruben Zahra, staged most of its productions inside heritage sites across the capital rather than in conventional theatres.

MIAF began in 2006 to enrich Malta’s cultural scene and has grown to include music, theatre, dance, opera, installations, film and community projects. The 2026 programme included the multi-day production “Pegasus, Flight to Freedom” from 8 to 12 June, and past line-ups have featured a Globe Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet and concerts by Maltese singer Christabelle and Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi.

MIAF stages many of its productions at distinctive heritage sites rather than conventional theatres, including Neolithic temple sites, Baroque palazzos and stages set up along the Grand Harbour, which the organisers say puts the whole island to work as a backdrop. Festivals Malta, the national body that also runs MIAF, was launched in 2017 to bring the country’s portfolio of national festivals under one artistic and logistical umbrella.

Outdoor MIAF events in Valletta’s public squares and streets are free, while indoor theatre and concert performances at each heritage venue are ticketed individually. Valletta, Sliema, Floriana and St Julian’s offer hotels, apartments, hostels and B&Bs within walking distance or a short bus or ferry ride of the festival venues, and temporary parking is set up on the city’s outskirts for those driving in.

5. Valletta Baroque Festival

The Valletta Baroque Festival runs from 7 to 24 January 2027 across venues in and around Valletta, according to the confirmed dates on Festivals Malta’s official festival page; this is the 14th edition. The Valletta Baroque Festival’s 2026 edition ran from 8 to 25 January and used historic venues including St John’s Co-Cathedral, Verdala Palace, Palazzo Parisio and Teatru Manoel.

The first Valletta Baroque Festival took place in 2013 to spotlight Malta’s Baroque architectural and artistic legacy, and past line-ups have featured the English Concert chamber orchestra and violinist Hugo Ticciati. The festival is organised by Festivals Malta with Teatru Manoel, supported by the Ministry for Culture, Lands and Local Government and Visit Malta; the 2027 headline names had not been published at the time of writing.

The festival’s concerts are sponsored by Schweppes, and St John’s Co-Cathedral, the Knights of St John’s principal church, remains the flagship venue for the largest orchestral concerts each January.

Tickets are sold per concert rather than as a single festival pass, with prices that ranged from roughly €10 to €60 ($11-65, £8-51) in past editions depending on the venue and performer, alongside free events in public squares. Valletta and neighbouring Sliema and Floriana offer hotels, apartments and hostels within a short bus or ferry ride of the venues, and temporary parking may be set up outside the city on the busiest evenings. Booking accommodation in advance is worth doing for January, since the Valletta Baroque Festival’s opening week follows shortly after the city’s Christmas Festival closes for the season.

6. Malta International Fireworks Festival

The Malta International Fireworks Festival ran across four evenings in 2026: 18 April in Nadur, Gozo, then 20, 25 and 30 April over Valletta’s Grand Harbour, with the grand finale on 30 April, according to the festival’s official website. The Malta International Fireworks Festival marked its 25th year in 2026, and the 2027 dates had not been announced at the time of writing; the festival has run every April since it began.

Around 40 fireworks factories and affiliated societies took part in 2026, including 8 pyro-musical competitors who timed their shows to music from barges in the Grand Harbour while Maltese teams fired from land. Fireworks have been part of Maltese festa culture since the Knights of St John introduced them in the 16th century, and the modern international festival channels that tradition into a multi-night competition.

In past editions, the festival has also staged displays in Marsaxlokk, Mellieħa, Gozo’s Marsalforn and Marsascala, though the 2026 programme concentrated the four nights in Nadur and Valletta’s Grand Harbour. Fireworks first became part of Maltese festa celebrations when the Knights of St John introduced choreographed displays in the 16th century, and Malta’s parish festas still stage smaller fireworks competitions through the summer outside this international festival.

Spectators watch the Grand Harbour finale from vantage points around Valletta, Floriana, the Three Cities and by boat, with extra buses and ferries running on display nights; parking directly at the harbour is very limited. Every fireworks display is free to view from public areas, and only a small number of boat-tour operators sell tickets for a closer view from the water. Upper Barrakka Gardens and Herbert Ganado Gardens in Valletta are among the most popular free vantage points overlooking the Grand Harbour on finale night, and both fill up well before the display starts.

7. Carnival (Il-Karnival ta’ Malta)

Il-Karnival ta’ Malta runs from Thursday 4 February to Wednesday 10 February 2027 in Valletta, Floriana and other towns, according to the confirmed dates and downloadable programme on Festivals Malta’s official carnival page. Il-Karnival ta’ Malta’s 2026 edition ran from 13 to 17 February and included a Ħamrun event on 8 February and a “Carnival by Night” evening in Santa Venera on 7 February.

Maltese carnival dates back to the 15th century under the Knights of St John and grew in popularity after 1535, and organised street parades have run since the 1930s. The 2026 programme brought together 39 participating companies with parade floats, costumes and masked competitions centred on Valletta and Floriana, while the Nadur carnival on Gozo runs its own, more satirical street parties on the same dates.

Floats and costumed companies parade along Republic Street and through St George’s Square in Valletta, competing for prizes judged on costume design, choreography and the King Carnival grotesque-mask tradition that dates back generations.

Most carnival parades and street events are free to watch from the pavement, while the ticketed Carnival Gran Finale and grandstand seating around the Valletta and Floriana parade routes are sold through Festivals Malta’s ticketing partner. Buses run extended schedules to Valletta and Floriana on carnival weekend, and parking in both towns is minimal, so public transport is the practical way to reach the parade routes. Grandstand seating along the main parade route in Floriana gives a reserved view of the floats for visitors who would rather not stand in the crowd.

8. Earth Garden Festival

Earth Garden Festival’s 2027 dates had not been announced at the time of writing; the 2026 edition ran from 29 to 31 May at Ta’ Qali National Park in Attard, according to the festival’s official website, and the festival usually falls in late May. Earth Garden Festival began in 2007 to combine environmental awareness with music and has grown into Malta’s largest alternative festival, drawing around 30,000 visitors across its run. Attard sits close to the centre of the main island, with Valletta 8 kilometres (5 miles) away.

The 2026 edition moved into a newly opened, wooded section of Ta’ Qali National Park, with five stages covering world music, techno, house, dub, drum and bass, funk, ska, hip-hop and psychedelic trance alongside workshops, talks, chill-out zones and a camping village.

Earth Garden Festival’s healing area, craft market and kids’ zone run through the day alongside the evening concerts, giving the festival a family-friendly daytime programme on top of its five stages after dark.

For reference, day tickets in past editions cost roughly €15-25 ($16-27, £13-21) and full festival passes roughly €40-60 ($43-65, £34-51); the 2027 price list was not released at the time of writing. Attard and Valletta offer hotels, hostels, apartments and guesthouses a short drive or bus ride from Ta’ Qali, and parking at the park itself is limited, so buses, taxis and shuttles are the recommended way in; the on-site camping village is the alternative for visitors who would rather stay through the whole weekend.

9. Farsons Great Beer Festival

The Farsons Great Beer Festival’s 2027 dates had not been announced at the time of writing; the 2026 edition ran for 10 days, from 23 July to 1 August, at Ta’ Qali National Park in Attard, according to the organisers, and entrance was completely free. The Farsons Great Beer Festival first ran in 1981 and reached its 44th edition in 2026, making it the largest summer festival in Malta by nightly attendance. Attard sits 8 kilometres (5 miles) from Valletta.

The 2026 programme ran the Main Stage, Rock Stage, Craft Beer Area and Casa Electronica with local and tribute acts each evening alongside the widest selection of local and imported beer on the island.

The festival’s Craft Beer Area sits apart from the Main and Rock Stages, giving visitors a quieter space to sample small-batch and imported beers between sets, and the Casa Electronica tent runs a separate DJ programme into the later hours. Farsons, the Maltese brewer behind the festival, uses the ten days to showcase both its own labels and imported brands alongside the live music.

Entrance to the Farsons Great Beer Festival carries no ticket cost at any tier, and the festival is pet-friendly. Parking at Ta’ Qali is limited and a nearby car park charges an optional donation, so the extra late-night buses running from Valletta are the recommended way to reach and leave the grounds.

10. Abode on the Rock

Abode on the Rock’s 2027 dates had not been announced at the time of writing; the 2026 edition ran from 18 to 22 June across venues on Gozo, according to the festival’s official listings, and the festival admits over-18s only. Abode on the Rock debuted in 2018 as the Abode Club brand’s first international festival and mixes beach and boat parties by day with club nights in venues that include open-air stages, seaside clubs and a cave club. Gozo is Malta’s second island, reached by a roughly 15-minute ferry crossing from the main island.

Past line-ups have featured house DJs Jamie Jones, Michael Bibi, Fisher, East End Dubs, wAFF and Danny Howard, drawing an audience largely from the UK.

The festival’s cave club venue and seaside stages spread attendees across several points on Gozo rather than a single festival ground, so a shuttle or rented scooter helps visitors move between the daytime boat parties and the evening club nights. Abode on the Rock’s largely UK audience often books its Gozo stay as part of a longer Malta trip built around the festival weekend.

Visitors reach Gozo’s venues by bus, ferry or boat once on the island, and parking is minimal, so shuttles from hotels and the extra public buses and ferries laid on during the festival are the practical options. Gozo offers hotels, hostels, B&Bs, apartments and farmhouse rentals near the festival venues, and both general admission and VIP tickets go on sale closer to the confirmed dates.

11. Lost & Found Festival

Lost & Found Festival’s status is uncertain at the time of writing: the most recent confirmed edition found on the festival’s own listings and ticketing partners is 2023, and no 2024, 2025 or 2026 edition could be verified. Lost & Found ran each June at Ta’ Qali National Park in Attard as one of Europe’s boutique pre-summer dance festivals, founded by the Irish DJ Annie Mac and first held in 2015, with party locations that included castles, cliffs, beaches and boats around Malta.

Past line-ups featured Jamie xx, J Hus, Bicep and Gorgon City across five stages, with a central festival hub at Café del Mar and shuttle buses to the different party locations. No official cancellation notice was found, and some ticketing sites still list the event as “to be confirmed” rather than closed.

Lost & Found’s uncertain status contrasts with its reputation in its active years, when festival guides such as Music Festival Wizard ranked it among Europe’s boutique electronic weekends. Ticketing platforms including Songkick and Skiddle still carry historical listing pages for the festival, which suggests the brand has not been formally retired even without a confirmed date.

Travellers hoping to attend should check Annie Mac’s own channels and the festival’s social media before booking a trip around Lost & Found, because neither a 2026 edition nor a confirmed return for 2027 turned up in this search.

12. Festgħana

Festgħana runs from 20 to 23 May 2027 in Floriana and Żejtun, according to the confirmed dates on Festivals Malta’s official Festgħana page; the 2026 edition ran from 21 to 24 May, mainly at the Argotti Botanic Gardens in Floriana, 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) from Valletta. Festgħana showcases għana, Malta’s traditional sung poetry, alongside folk dance and contemporary reinterpretations of the tradition.

The festival began as Għanafest in 2015 to give local għannejja (folk singers) a stage and to preserve the singing tradition, then rebranded as the Ritmu Roots Festival before adopting its current name, Festgħana, for the 2026-2027 seasons. The 2026 programme mixed għana sessions, folk dance, international acts and a tribute to women in chant across venues in Floriana and, for the first time, Żejtun.

Each Festgħana edition pairs traditional għana verse duels, in which singers improvise rhyming exchanges over guitar accompaniment, with staged folk dance and newer collaborations between għannejja and contemporary musicians. Extending the 2026 programme to Żejtun, a town in the south-east of the main island, gave the festival its first venue outside the Floriana area since it began as Għanafest in 2015.

Festgħana events are held both outdoors in the Argotti Gardens and at smaller venues, and past editions offered single-day and full-festival passes with no VIP tier; the 2027 ticket prices were not published at the time of writing. Floriana and Valletta offer hotels, guesthouses, hostels and apartments within walking distance or a short drive of the venues, and parking near the Argotti Gardens is minimal, so visitors are directed to park in Floriana or Valletta and walk over.

13. Glitch Festival

Glitch Festival returns from 11 to 14 August 2027, according to the confirmed dates on the festival’s official website, which also reports that 2027 pre-sale tickets sold out and that general tier 1 tickets are now on sale. Glitch Festival’s 2026 edition ran from 12 to 15 August with an opening party at Valletta Ditch, the main event at Gianpula Village near Rabat and Mdina on 13 and 14 August, and closing boat parties on 15 August.

Glitch Festival first took place in 2015 after local promoters identified demand for a dedicated house and techno festival on the island, and the 2026 edition marked its 10th anniversary. Past line-ups have featured Carl Cox, Jon Hopkins, Maceo Plex and Charlotte de Witte; the 2027 artist announcements had not been made at the time of writing. The festival grew steadily from its 2015 debut to its current four-day, multi-stage format, adding the Valletta Ditch opening night and the closing boat parties in more recent editions.

The festival’s Valletta Ditch opening party gives visitors a city-based warm-up before the main two days move out to Gianpula Village, and the closing boat parties on the final day bring the festival back to the coast. Glitch Festival’s promoters have grown the event from a single local gathering in 2015 into one of the Mediterranean’s recognised house and techno weekends over its first decade.

Rabat and nearby Mdina offer hotel and apartment accommodation, and Gżira and Qawra are recommended bases close to the festival’s shuttle routes; camping is not permitted at the Gianpula site, so every attendee needs a booked room somewhere on the island for the four nights. Parking at Gianpula Village itself is not available, so the official festival shuttle bus is the recommended way to reach the rural venue and avoid the surrounding narrow roads.

14. Dance Festival Malta

Dance Festival Malta runs from 22 to 25 July 2027 in Valletta, according to the confirmed dates on the festival’s official website, dfm.mt. Dance Festival Malta’s 2026 edition ran from 23 to 26 July across the Valletta Campus Theatre, Spazju Kreattiv and the Malta Society of Arts, and the festival is organised by Festivals Malta.

Dance Festival Malta held its first edition in 2024, expecting more than 5,000 participants and audience members, and brought together choreographers and companies from Bulgaria, the Netherlands, the UK, France and Malta, including the Derida Dance Centre, Ivgi&Greben Dance Company and Maltese choreographers Francesca Tranter and Marisha Farrugia. The 2026 open calls invited Malta-based dance artists and choreographers to apply for the programme, and Festivals Malta announced the 2027 theme, “Bodies That Witness, Stories That Persist,” ahead of the full line-up.

Festivals Malta also runs an inYouth Dance Platform open call alongside the main programme, giving young Maltese dancers and choreographers a route into the festival before they reach the professional stages. The festival’s original 2024 partners, the Malta Tourism Authority, Spazju Kreattiv, AIS Group and the Ministry for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, continue to back the event into its fourth edition.

Workshop and masterclass tickets are sold individually or as bundles at Spazju Kreattiv, one of the festival’s main hubs, reached by bus routes 12, 13 or 14 from the Valletta bus terminus to St James Ditch. Free outdoor performances also take place at Upper Barrakka Gardens on a first-come, first-served basis, and Valletta’s hotels, guesthouses, boutique apartments and hostels sit within walking distance of every venue, though parking in the city is limited to a handful of paid garages. Booking a hotel inside the city walls removes the need for a bus or ferry connection altogether during the four festival days.

15. Rock the South

Rock the South is Malta’s leading alternative and indie music festival, held each spring at the Zion venue in Marsascala; the 2026 edition, its 13th, ran from 1 to 3 May, and the organisers confirmed on social media that the event “was one for the books” before signalling a return the following year. Rock the South had not announced its 2027 dates at the time of writing. Marsascala sits on the main island’s south-east coast.

Rock the South began in 2014 and, contrary to some older listings, is not a country or reggae festival: its 2026 line-up drew on Maltese alternative, indie and rock acts including Brodu, Danjeli, Dwejn, David Schembri, BRIKKUNI, Michael Azzopardi u l-Klieb tal-Wulf, Beesqueeze and Skimmed, spread across two main stages. The festival is powered by Converse and Urban Jungle and adds a silent disco, run by White Noise Malta, after the main sets end each night. Rock the South’s Zion venue in Marsascala has hosted the festival’s recent editions, giving it a fixed home even as its line-up has shifted towards the current alternative and indie focus.

The 2026 line-up also included Bedroom Horse, Motherknives, Mauve, Views and Areola Treat across the weekend’s two stages, reflecting the festival’s focus on Malta’s current alternative and indie scene rather than the touring international headliners some older listings describe. Rock the South’s after-hours silent disco, run by White Noise Malta, gives the festival a late-night option once the main stages close.

Visitors fly into Malta International Airport, then take a taxi or bus to Marsascala, where paid parking lots sit within a 10-minute walk of the festival entrance. Marsascala and the surrounding towns offer hotels, apartments, hostels and guesthouses at a range of budgets, and public transport or taxis are recommended over driving during the festival weekend. The village’s seafront promenade also has restaurants and bars for visitors who want a break between sets without leaving the town.

16. BirguFest

BirguFest runs from 11 to 13 October 2026 in Birgu (Vittoriosa), according to the festival’s official schedule, with a €3 ($3, £3) combined ticket covering Fort St Angelo, the Malta Maritime Museum and the Inquisitor’s Palace for the weekend. BirguFest first took place in 2003 as a joint initiative between the Malta Tourism Authority and the Birgu Local Council. Birgu is one of the Three Cities on the south side of the Grand Harbour, reached from Valletta by ferry or bus.

The 2026 programme centres on heritage rather than concerts: guided tours and a talk on the French Blockade of 1798-1800 on the Friday, Fort St Angelo lit by traditional fjakkoli oil lamps on the Saturday, and the historical reenactment “Aspects of the Castrum Maris in 1400” plus an In Guardia march from Birgu’s main gate to Fort St Angelo on the Sunday evening.

Heritage Malta runs a related Museums by Candlelight Birgu event over the same weekend, adding torch-lit access to national collections alongside BirguFest’s own guided tours and reenactments. The shift towards heritage programming builds on Birgu’s standing as one of the Three Cities, alongside Senglea and Cospicua, that formed the Knights of St John’s original fortified base before Valletta was built.

Friday and Saturday events run from 9am to midnight, and Sunday hours are 9am to 5pm, with Fort St Angelo open until 6pm; every event operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking in Birgu is extremely limited, so public transport, a pre-arranged hotel transfer or the ferry from Valletta or Sliema is the practical way to reach the Three Cities for the weekend. The €3 combined ticket stays valid across all three sites for the whole weekend, so visitors can spread the museum visits across Friday, Saturday and Sunday rather than rushing them into one day.

17. Christmas Festival (Fairyland)

The Christmas Festival, known as Fairyland, had not announced its 2026-2027 dates at the time of writing; the 2025-2026 edition ran from 5 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 in Pjazza Tritoni outside Valletta’s City Gate, extending into the Floriana Granaries for the first time. Fairyland usually runs from early December into the first week of January.

Fairyland turns the square into a Christmas village with an ice-skating rink, Santa’s workshop and an artisan Christmas market, and the 2025-2026 edition added four new attractions, the Candy Cane Slide, Frosty Bike Circuit, Dasher’s Roundabout and Tinsel Track, alongside the returning Chaos Lab and Rudolph’s Wheel.

Fairyland was first held in December 2020 and has expanded each year since, growing from a single Pjazza Tritoni site into the 2025-2026 edition’s extension across the City Gate and into the Floriana Granaries. The rides, market stalls and Santa’s workshop run daily through the school holidays, making it one of the few Maltese festivals aimed mainly at families with young children.

Visitors reach Pjazza Tritoni by bus, ferry or car, with several parking garages, including the Valletta and Floriana car parks, a short walk from the square; street parking is very limited. Evenings and weekends draw the largest crowds, so families hoping to avoid queues for the ice rink or Santa’s workshop tend to visit on a weekday afternoon instead. Ticket prices for the 2026-2027 edition were not published at the time of writing; the previous season charged a general admission fee per adult, with children under 12 admitted free.

What are the best summer festivals in Malta?

The summer festivals in Malta worth planning a trip around are listed below in calendar order, with the 2027 dates given where announced and the 2026 dates where the 2027 edition has not yet been confirmed.

1. Isle of MTV (2026: 22 July, Il-Fosos Square, Floriana). Isle of MTV is Malta’s free, internationally headlined pop and rock concert, held every July since 2007 and headlined by Katy Perry in 2026. The single free concert anchors a wider Malta Music Week of ticketed boat parties and club nights around Floriana and Valletta.
2. Malta Jazz Festival (5-10 July 2027). The Malta Jazz Festival is Valletta’s waterfront jazz week at Ta’ Liesse, running since 1990 with international and Maltese acts across outdoor and indoor stages. Free seating and standing areas cover most of the programme, with paid VIP and concession tiers for the same nights.
3. Malta International Arts Festival (11-20 June 2027). MIAF stages music, theatre, dance and visual art inside Valletta’s heritage sites, with productions such as “Pegasus, Flight to Freedom” in 2026. Outdoor performances in the city’s public squares are free, while tickets are sold only for the indoor productions.
4. The Marsovin Summer Wine Festival (July; 2027 dates not announced). The Marsovin Summer Wine Festival fills Hastings Gardens in Valletta with wine tastings, live music and food stalls over a summer weekend. The festival draws both dedicated wine tourists and casual visitors looking for an evening out among the gardens.
5. Glitch Festival (11-14 August 2027). Glitch Festival is Malta’s house and techno festival at Gianpula Village, marking its 10th anniversary in 2026 with past headliners including Carl Cox and Charlotte de Witte. The 2027 pre-sale tickets sold out before general sales opened, a sign of the festival’s growing following.

What are the best music festivals in Malta?

The music festivals in Malta worth knowing are listed below across genres, from pop to jazz to electronic.

1. Isle of MTV (2026: 22 July). Isle of MTV brings international pop and rock headliners, such as Katy Perry and Afrojack in 2026, to a free open-air concert in Floriana. Maltese pop acts open the main stage before the international headliner closes the night.
2. Malta Jazz Festival (5-10 July 2027). The Malta Jazz Festival sets its programme against the Grand Harbour at Ta’ Liesse, mixing world-touring jazz artists with Maltese ensembles. MICAS and the Valletta Campus Theatre added further ticketed sets to the 2026 programme.
3. Malta International Arts Festival (11-20 June 2027). MIAF’s music programme runs alongside its theatre, dance and visual art strands across Valletta’s heritage venues. Concerts by artists such as Ludovico Einaudi and Christabelle have featured in past editions.
4. Glitch Festival (11-14 August 2027). Glitch Festival draws international DJs and Maltese electronic acts to Gianpula Village for four days of house and techno. Camping is not permitted on site, so the festival runs its own shuttle bus from nearby towns.

What are the best food festivals in Malta?

The food festivals in Malta worth a detour are listed below, each pairing local produce with a distinct setting.

1. Malta International Food Festival (2026: 5-9 August, the Granaries, Floriana). The Malta International Food Festival reached its 10th edition in 2026 with 42 cuisines and more than 1,000 dishes from local and international chefs, running from 6pm to midnight each night. Live cooking demonstrations and workshops run alongside the food stalls on a dedicated stage.
2. Qormi Bread Festival (Lejl f’Casal Fornaro). Lejl f’Casal Fornaro celebrates Qormi’s bread-making tradition each autumn, with tastings, live baking demonstrations and stalls selling Maltese loaves and pastries; the exact 2026 date was not confirmed at the time of writing. Qormi has held the event for more than a decade, and past editions have run on St Joseph High Street in the town centre.
3. Ħamrun Chocolate Festival (2026: 17 October). The Ħamrun Chocolate Festival fills St Joseph High Street with chocolate sculptures, tastings and live demonstrations from local and international chocolatiers, drawing more than 25,000 visitors in past editions. The festival held its 14th edition in 2024, which puts the 2026 edition in its 16th year.
4. In Guardia food and wine tastings, Birgu. The In Guardia event pairs wine tastings and local Maltese food stalls with the historical march and reenactment at Fort St Angelo during BirguFest weekend. Local vineyards pour alongside stalls selling traditional Birgu recipes.

What are the best fairs or trade festivals in Malta?

The fairs and trade festivals in Malta that draw the largest crowds are the 5 listed below.

1. Malta Trade Fair (2026: 26 June-5 July, MFCC, Ta’ Qali). The Malta Trade Fair, formerly known as the Malta International Trade Fair, brings together more than 100 exhibitors across home and lifestyle, tech, wellness and food and drink at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre. Automotive, health and beauty exhibitors also take stands alongside the main halls, and the fair runs live product demonstrations throughout its ten-day run.
2. Mdina Glass Christmas Village (Ta’ Qali; 2025: 5-14 December). The Mdina Glass Christmas Village turns the Ta’ Qali crafts village into a festive fair with glassware demonstrations, Maltese crafts and holiday stalls; the 2026 dates had not been announced at the time of writing. Visitors can watch glassblowers work and buy pieces directly from the craft village’s workshops.
3. Valletta Green Festival (2026: 30 April-10 May). The Valletta Green Festival, run by the Valletta Cultural Agency, fills St George’s Square with a floral installation and an eco market alongside talks on sustainability. The 2026 edition ran daily from 10am to 6pm across the ten-day run.
4. Malta Book Festival (2026: 4-8 November, MFCC, Ta’ Qali). The Malta Book Festival reached its 47th edition in 2026, drawing over 40,000 visitors to free book launches, readings and panel discussions with local and international authors. The 2026 line-up included the Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin and the Spanish author Esther García Llovet.
5. Science in the City (2026: 25-26 September, Valletta). Science in the City is Malta’s contribution to European Researchers’ Night, reaching its 15th edition in 2026 with interactive science and technology installations expected to draw around 35,000 visitors. More than 100 organisations registered to take part in the 2026 street festival.

What are the best reenactment festivals in Malta?

The reenactment festivals in Malta are the 4 listed below, each tied to a different period of the island’s history.

1. In Guardia Parade (Fort St Elmo, Valletta). The In Guardia Parade recreates a Knights of St John guard-mounting ceremony with period uniforms, weapons and drill several Sundays a year, including dates in October and November 2026. The parade runs on a fixed schedule of Sundays rather than a single festival weekend, so visitors can plan around any of the listed dates.
2. Mdina Medieval Festival (biennial; next edition expected 2027). The Mdina Medieval Festival turns the Silent City into a medieval town for a weekend of jousting, sword fighting, archery and period music, though it runs every second year and a 2026 date was not confirmed. Performers in period costume fill Mdina’s walled streets and squares for the full weekend.
3. BirguFest’s In Guardia march and Castrum Maris reenactment (11-13 October 2026). BirguFest’s Sunday evening programme recreates a 15th-century garrison scene, “Aspects of the Castrum Maris in 1400,” and marches from Birgu’s main gate to Fort St Angelo lit by traditional oil lamps. The march stops at the Inquisitor’s Palace and St Dominic’s Church and Convent along the route.
4. Malta Military Tattoo (Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre). The Malta Military Tattoo brings together local and international military bands, precision marching and historical reenactment groups; a confirmed date for the next edition was not found at the time of writing. Past editions have staged the show indoors at the MFCC’s Millennium Stand.

What are the top destinations to visit in Malta during the festivals?

There are 5 top places to visit in Malta during the festivals, and each one anchors a different part of the calendar. Firstly, Valletta hosts most of the flagship events, including the Malta International Arts Festival, the Valletta Baroque Festival and Notte Bianca, inside a UNESCO World Heritage city of Baroque architecture, with St George’s Square and St John’s Co-Cathedral among its busiest festival venues. Secondly, Mdina, the Silent City, holds its biennial Medieval Festival with jousting, archery and period music inside its walled streets, and its narrow lanes double as a quiet base for visitors attending Glitch Festival at nearby Gianpula. Thirdly, Sliema serves as a short ferry ride from many festival venues and a base close to the Malta Jazz Festival’s Grand Harbour stages, with hotels and apartments that suit visitors without a car, so it is the easiest place to book a hotel in Malta if you plan to move by bus and ferry. Fourthly, Gozo hosts Abode on the Rock each June, taking over beaches, seaside clubs and even a cave venue across the smaller island, and its capital, Victoria, sits at the centre for onward travel. Lastly, Birgu (Vittoriosa) is the setting for BirguFest, known for its torch-lit Fort St Angelo and the In Guardia reenactment march, and its Grand Harbour views make it a base for the Malta International Fireworks Festival’s finale nights too. Together these five towns cover most of the festival calendar on this page.

How to get around in Malta during the festivals?

To get around in Malta during the festivals, there are 4 main options: public buses, taxis or ride-hailing apps, a rental car and walking. Firstly, take the public bus network in Malta, because it connects every town on this page to Valletta at an affordable fare, though services get crowded during peak festival nights and extra late-night routes only run for the largest events, such as Farsons Great Beer Festival and Notte Bianca. Secondly, use taxis or ride-hailing apps for door-to-door journeys, especially late at night or to venues such as Ta’ Qali and Gianpula Village that sit outside the main bus routes. Thirdly, rent a car if a festival trip includes Gozo or several venues in one day, since Malta’s small size makes most drives under an hour, though parking at festival sites is consistently limited and the Gozo ferry adds a fixed crossing time to any island-hopping itinerary, so check the ferry crossings to Malta and Gozo against the festival start time. Lastly, walk between venues in Valletta, Mdina and the Three Cities, where the historic streets keep most festival locations within a 10 to 15-minute walk of each other. Combining the bus with occasional taxis covers every festival on this page without needing a car.

WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips

The 5 tips below come from checking every festival on this page against its organiser’s own site, which turned up several things the listings around them get wrong.

1. Do not book a trip around Lost & Found. No edition after 2023 could be confirmed on the festival’s own listings or on any of its ticketing partners, and no cancellation notice exists either, so the brand sits in limbo. Check Annie Mac’s own channels before you build a June week on it.
2. Expect alternative and indie music at Rock the South. The 2026 line-up was Maltese alternative acts such as BRIKKUNI, Brodu and Dwejn, and the festival calls itself Malta’s prime alternative music festival, so the country and reggae billing that older listings give it is simply wrong.
3. Buy the €3 combined ticket at BirguFest. It covers Fort St Angelo, the Malta Maritime Museum and the Inquisitor’s Palace for the whole weekend rather than a single day, so the museums can be spread across all three days. Parking in Birgu is severely limited, which makes the ferry from Valletta or Sliema the sensible way in.
4. Turn up at the Farsons Great Beer Festival without a ticket. Entrance to the Ta’ Qali site is free for all 10 days and you pay only for what you drink, which makes it the cheapest big night out in the Maltese summer. Extra late-night buses run for this one and for Notte Bianca, but not for most other events on this page.
5. Treat the fireworks festival as several nights in two places. The 2026 edition ran on 18 April in Nadur on Gozo and then on 20, 25 and 30 April over Valletta’s Grand Harbour, with the finale last. Picking one night without checking where it is staged can put you on the wrong island.

About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, and the team covers Malta for independent travellers, including the festivals, city guides, food and transport worth planning a trip around, and updates this page when dates, prices and rules change.