Celebrating Vittoriosa

Birgu Festival, a spectacular event celebrating Malta's oldest maritime city of Birgu, or Vittoriosa, is expected to draw the crowds today and tomorrow.

The festival, organised by the Malta Tourism Authority, began yesterday with the inauguration of a flower exhibition by Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech at the Auberge de France, and other cultural events.

Today, the Amadeus Chamber Choir will perform baroque music at St Lawrence church at 7.15 p.m. A Birgu Night, with traditional Maltese food and modern music, including a concert by the Malta Police Band, will be held at Victory Square at 8.30 p.m. The musical We Will Rock You will be held later this evening.

One of the highlights of the festival, the Grand Master's pageant, entitled "The Joyous Celebrations of the Victory of the Great Siege 1565", will begin at Fort St Angelo tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. There will be a march and parade by the Armed Forces of Malta at 2.30 p.m. The festival will come to an end with a concert by the Versatile Brass Ensemble at 7.30 p.m.

There will also be folk dancing, street walkabouts, exhibitions, animated tours and street theatre. The festival also coincides with the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary celebrated in Vittoriosa tomorrow.

Romantic dghajsa tours of Grand Harbour will leave from Vittoriosa from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m.

The festival includes performances of "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" at It-Toqba tal-Birgu at 6 p.m. sharp today and tomorrow.

This event is led by the Kneehigh theatre company of Cornwall, UK in collaboration with St James Cavalier and the Cyprus Theatre Organisation, on the invitation of the Vittoriosa local council and with the support of the European Union Culture 2000 programme and The British Council, Malta.

More information on the festival may be obtained from the tourism information centres in Malta and Gozo, tel. 2138 1392, 2123 7747.