Birgufest 2022

Birgu Fest 2022 | What's on at this year's Birgu By Candlelight?

The candle festival to top them all happens during Birgu Fest 2022, one of the prettiest and most photographed events in Malta's calendar, all organised by Birgu Local Council.

Birgu Fest and Birgu by Candlelight return to the streets of Vittoriosa this weekend and quite frankly we can't wait for candles, candles and more candles! Anyone who knows us or has visited our studio shop in Birgu, will know that we have a passion for candles!

The festival of light that illuminates Birgu's winding medieval streets with the gentle glow of thousands of candles has definitely been missed! The local council and the people of Birgu open their streets and their doors to all, to create a magical and memorable experience!

You can see below, as well as the streets of Birgu glowing with candles on the Saturday night, everyone has been catered for with events, music and acts for all tastes. They'll be peppered around the city, here, there and everywhere...but we've included Google Maps pins Google Maps pin to help with directions, it's just up to you how you indulge!

Please Note: There's some really important information about travel and parking near the bottom of the page, it doesn't make sense for anyone to try and drive into Birgu this weekend, so if you travel by ferry, park and ride, or even park and walk, it will make your visit a much happier experience!

So what’s happening during the three days of Birgu Fest 2022?

Hint: Erm, quite a lot actually!

 

Live Music and Entertainment

 

Friday 7th October

Main Stage - Victory Square

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Tea Crisis - Birgu Fest 2022
7:30pm - 9:30pm
Tea Crisis


Fakawi - Birgu Fest 2022
10pm - Midnight
Fakawi

 

 

Saturday 8th October

4pm - Midnight

 

Birgu By Candlelight

The Streets Of Birgu

 Birgu Fest - Birgu By Candlelight 2022

For one night only (Saturday), the street lights will be switched off and the city will be lit up by candlelight, creating a magical and memorable experience!

5:30pm - 8:30pm
Citadella Folk Group
Traditional folk music


Main Stage - Victory Square

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Karin Duff - Birgu Fest 2022

6pm - 7pm
Karin Duff

 

Bernie and Pod - Birgu Fest 2022

7:30pm - 9:30pm
Bernie and Pod

 

The Travellers - Birgu Fest 2022

10pm - Midnight
The Travellers

 

St. John's Tower
Torri ta’ San Ġwann

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D Capitals - Birgu Fest 2022
7:30pm - 9:30pm
DCapitals Big Band


9:30pm
Fire Performance by Kim Simler


Geo Debono Band - Birgu Fest 2022
10pm - Midnight
Geo Debono Band

 

Couvre Porte

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4pm onwards
Artisan Market

8pm - 10:30pm
Concert by St. Lawrence Band Club

 

 

Birgu's Ditch (Il-Foss tal-Birgu)

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Birgu Ditch will be open to the public, entrance down steps near Malta At War Museum

Legio X Fretensis Malta (re-enactment)

 

 

Mandraġġ Area

 

Fuse - Birgu Fest 2022

8:30pm - 10pm
Fuse

 

 

St. Lawrence Conventual and Collegiate Church

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7:30pm - 8:30pm
Sacred Music Concert by Alex Vella Gregory

8:45pm - 9:45pm
Mro. Joe Caruana (Organ Concert)

10pm - 11pm
Sacred Music Concert by Alex Vella Gregory

 

 

Annunciation Church - Main Gate Street

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7:15pm - 8:15pm

Mro. Joseph Gatt Orchestra

8:35pm - 9:45pm
Andrew Zarb Quintet

10pm - 11pm
Mro. Joseph Gatt Orchestra

 

 

Poste of Castile

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Gilbert Gauci - Birgu Fest 2022

8pm - 9:30pm
Gilbert Gauci

 

Vintage Band - Birgu Fest 2022

10pm - 11:30pm
Vintage Band

 

 

St. James Bastion

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Projekt Lazarus - Birgu Fest 2022

7:30pm - 10:30pm
Medieval Re-Enactors: Projekt Lazarus Malta

 

 

Fosse Street

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Short Film Festival - Birgu Fest 2022

8pm - 11pm
Birgu Fest 2022 Short Film Festival

 

 

Wesghat il-Kolleggiata
(next to St.Lawrence Church)

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Infiorata - Birgu Fest 2022

INFIORATA

by Vignanello Local Council, Italy

 

 

Sunday 9th October

The Streets Of Birgu

 

10:30am - Midday
In Guardia Parade
Military parade in the era of the Knights Of St. John



 

But wait! There's more!

 

Places of Interest

  • The St. Lawrence Conventual and Collegiate Church - St Lawrence Street
  • The Annunciation Church - Main Gate Street
  • The Church of St. Anne annexed to the Benedictine Nuns Monastery - St.
    Scholastica Street
  • The Oratory of the Crucifix, adjacent to the Church of St. Lawrence
  • The Convent and Cloister of the Dominican Friars - Main Gate Street
  • The St. Lawrence Band Club - Victory Square
  • The Prince of Wales Own Band Club - Main Gate Street
  • Auberge De France - Hilda Tabone Street
  • Auberge d'Angleterre - Mistral Street
  • The Norman House - North Street
    One of the oldest houses in Birgu, which has unique Siculo-Norman features.  

 

Museums

  • The Inquisitor's Palace - Main Gate Street
  • The Parish Museum - access from Vittoriosa Main Square
  • Malta at War Museum - Couvre Porte
  • Fort St. Angelo and The Inquisitor's Palace which also includes the National Museum of Ethnography, will be open till midnight on both Friday and Saturday with a reduced entrance of €3
  • During Birgu Fest, Malta at War Museum will extend its regular opening hours

  

Exhibitions

  • Auberge de France
  • Hilda Tabone Street
  • Landscapes - a solo exhibition by Carmen Vella Gauci
  • Oratory of the Crucifix
  • Wesghat il-Kolleggjata
  • Good Friday gold and silver artifacts exhibition
  • St. Lawrence Band Club
  • Vittoriosa Main Square
  • Photography Exhibition by GTC Photography
  • Levita Martri
  • Nestu Laiviera Street
  • Festive Evolution - an exhibition by Andrew Lawrence Zarb
  • Dominican Convent
  • Main Gate Street
  • L' Essere - exhibition of sculptures in clay by Mauro Pace Parascandalo

  

Food

The Birgu Fest organisers have allowed traditional Maltese food and drinks stalls to be set up at Birgu's Main Square, St. John's Tower Street, and other various places. Coffee and cake will also be served outside the side door of the Church Of St. Lawrence.

 

Important Information

Travel

As previously said, it doesn't make sense for anyone to try and drive into Birgu this weekend, so if you can travel by bus, ferry, park and ride, or even park and walk, it will make your visit a much happier experience!

 

Special Bus Service

Malta Public Transport has announced a special public transport service operating to and from Birgu during the annual Birgu Fest.

 Saturday 8th October, Malta Public Transport will be operating services with buses leaving from Valletta towards Birgu on Route 2 departing at 20:45hrs, 21:15hrs, 21:45hrs and 22:15hrs. Route 3 Valletta departures are at 20:25hrs, 21:25hrs and 22:25hrs, and Route 4 departing at 20:20hrs, 21:20hrs and 22:20hrs.

 Conversely, from Birgu Riche bus Route 2 departures will leave at 20:13hrs, 21:13hrs, 21:43hrs, 22:43hrs, 23:00 hrs, 23:20hrs, 23:40hrs, 00:00hrs, 00:20hrs, 00:40hrs and 01:00hrs and Route 4 departures are 20:17hrs, 20:47hrs, 21:47hrs, 22:47hrs all headed towards Valletta.

 Malta Public Transport would like to remind the public that Special Services, including the special transport service operating to and from Birgu, are included in the Free Public Transport scheme. In order to benefit from free public transport, passengers are required to own a valid personalised Tallinja Card and tap it against the ticket machine every time they board the bus. Passengers without Tallinja Cards will need to purchase their ticket on board the bus.

 

Parking

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Fortini Football Ground

 

Park & Ride

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Birgu Local Council have reached an agreement with the Koperattiva Coop Services to have the Park & Ride service between 6pm and 12:30am starting from Kordin, near the Hibs Football ground continuing onto Garden Road, Zabbar to Triq il-Gublew tal-Fidda, Birgu, next to the bus terminus and back.



Valletta Ferry Service

From Valletta to Cospicua

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Operating as usual

 

From Cospicua To Valletta

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Friday operating until Midnight

Saturday operating until 1am

Sunday operating until Midnight

 

 

First Aid Service

First Aid 

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Desain Street, next to the Police Station 

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Auberge d'Angleterre - Mistral Street

Doctor and Nurse in attendance

 


More Info

For further information (What, you need more?) please contact:

Birgu Local Council

Birgu Local Council

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Address
: Auberge de France, Hilda Tabone Street, Birgu. BRG1252

Telephone: 2166 2166 / 2180 7008 / 7966 2166
Fax: 21662266
E-mailbirgu.lc@gov.mt
Office Hours
Monday to Friday: 08:00 - 12:30 & 13:15 - 16:45
Saturday: 08:00 - 12:00

Thank You to Birgu Local Council for making all of this possible


One more thing...

Did somebody mention candles?

 Birgu Candlelight Company, Malta

 

No trip to Birgu is complete without a visit to what has to be the cutest little candle shop in Malta. Step back in time and enjoy our scented candles, reed diffusers and wax melts, all hand made in-store.

As this is such a special event, please note the extended opening hours of our studio shop

Friday 7th October - 10am - 7pm

Saturday 8th October - Midday - 10pm

Sunday 9th October - 10am - 4pm


Birgu Candlelight Company studio shop at night in Birgu, Malta

If you're not sure where we're located, look out for the beautiful church near the waterfront in Birgu, right next to the Freedom Monument roundabout. Failing that, use the map below...or just follow your nose...

See You There!



All information sourced from third parties, correct at time of publication, subject to change or modification.