
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 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

Tea Crisis

Fakawi
Saturday 8th October
Birgu By Candlelight
The Streets Of Birgu
Main Stage - Victory Square
6pm - 7pm
Karin Duff
7:30pm - 9:30pm
Bernie and Pod
10pm - Midnight
The Travellers
St. John's Tower
Torri ta’ San Ġwann

DCapitals Big Band
Fire Performance by Kim Simler

Geo Debono Band
Couvre Porte
4pm onwards
Artisan Market
8pm - 10:30pm
Concert by St. Lawrence Band Club
Birgu's Ditch (Il-Foss tal-Birgu)
Birgu Ditch will be open to the public, entrance down steps near Malta At War Museum
Legio X Fretensis Malta (re-enactment)
Mandraġġ Area
8:30pm - 10pm
Fuse
St. Lawrence Conventual and Collegiate Church
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
7:15pm - 8:15pm
Andrew Zarb Quintet
Mro. Joseph Gatt Orchestra
Poste of Castile
8pm - 9:30pm
Gilbert Gauci
10pm - 11:30pm
Vintage Band
St. James Bastion
7:30pm - 10:30pm
Medieval Re-Enactors: Projekt Lazarus Malta
Fosse Street
8pm - 11pm
Birgu Fest 2022 Short Film Festival
Wesghat il-Kolleggiata
(next to St.Lawrence Church)
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
Fortini Football Ground
Park & Ride
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
Operating as usual
From Cospicua To Valletta
Friday operating until Midnight
Saturday operating until 1am
Sunday operating until Midnight
First Aid Service
Desain Street, next to the Police Station
Auberge d'Angleterre - Mistral Street
Doctor and Nurse in attendance
More Info
For further information (What, you need more?) please contact:
Birgu Local Council
Address: Auberge de France, Hilda Tabone Street, Birgu. BRG1252
Thank You to Birgu Local Council for making all of this possible
One more thing...
Did somebody mention candles?
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

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