Maltese Carnival

Origins and history

People in Malta have celebrated Carnival since at least the mid-fifteenth century. The festivities grew in scale after the Order of Saint John arrived, starting officially in Birgu in 1535 under Grand Master Piero de Ponte with tournaments and knightly pageants. Successive Grand Masters often clashed with revellers over wild behaviour. Jean Parisot de Valette allowed masks in public in 1560, while Giovanni Paolo Lascaris tried to ban devil costumes and forbid women from masked balls in 1639. The latter ban provoked riots against the Jesuits, giving rise to the Maltese idiom for a gloomy face, Wiċċ Laskri.

Parata and traditional rituals

Carnival formally opened with the Parata, a ritual of great significance. Dancers gathered beneath the Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta to receive official permission for the festivities. Once proclaimed, troupes staged mock battles between Christians and Turks to commemorate the 1565 Great Siege, while carrying a child with a flag through the streets. A hanging stone at the Palace of Justice signalled that regular law was suspended for three days. In 1721, Grand Master Marc'Antonio Zondadari added the kukkanja, a contest where crowds scrambled to seize provisions hidden beneath leafy boughs in the square.

Modern floats and customs

Valletta and neighbouring Floriana host the largest modern spectacles, presided over by King Carnival. Parades feature marching bands, grotesque mask contests, and massive allegorical floats decorated with ticker tape. In contrast, smaller localities hold spontaneous, unscripted gatherings. The village of Nadur in Gozo is famous for its darker, eccentric themes, including ghost disguises and satirical depictions of public figures. In Għaxaq, residents assemble impromptu costumes using vintage clothing pulled from their wardrobes, maintaining a grassroots atmosphere alongside the capital's organised pageants.

Traditional festival sweets

Sweet foods are an essential part of the Carnival season across the islands. Two confections stand out during the celebrations: perlini, which are colourful sugar-coated almonds, and prinjolata. The prinjolata is a towering dessert composed of sponge, biscuits, citrus fruits, and almonds, finished with a layer of cream and pine nuts. Revellers enjoy these rich sweets throughout the week of festivities before the arrival of Ash Wednesday and the dietary restraints of Lent.

How Maltese Carnival is kept

Carnival begins in the week before Ash Wednesday. In Valletta, celebrations feature organised parades led by King Carnival, accompanied by marching bands, costumed dancers, and large allegorical floats. Participants compete in grotesque mask contests and attend late-night masked balls. Meanwhile, village streets in places like Nadur and Għaxaq fill with spontaneous revellers wearing eccentric disguises, vintage attire, or satirical costumes. Throughout the week, families gather to watch the processions and share seasonal sweets such as perlini and prinjolata.

When and where

Carnival takes place every year during the week before Ash Wednesday. Because its timing is tied to the Christian liturgical calendar and the start of Lent, the exact dates shift between February and March.

Celebrations happen across the Maltese islands. The largest organised events take place in the capital city of Valletta and nearby Floriana, while distinctive spontaneous street carnivals are held in villages like Nadur on Gozo and Għaxaq in southern Malta.

What Maltese Carnival means

Historically, Carnival represented a brief release from civic and religious constraints, symbolised by hanging a stone outside the court to indicate that justice was temporarily suspended. The traditional Parata dance reaffirmed collective memory by re-enacting the 1565 Great Siege through mock combat, while satirical floats have long served as a popular commentary on political figures and societal rules.

Days Maltese Carnival is marked

Questions people ask about Maltese Carnival

See also

Nadur CarnivalAn unscripted five-day costume festival filling the streets of Nadur before LentGood FridayA solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.Holy WeekThe solemn seven days leading to Easter, recalling the final week and Passion of JesusValentine's DayA Christian feast day and cultural celebration of love kept on February 14 in many countries.

Good reading and sources

• Maltese Carnival on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.