Nadur village will this year have an added reason to celebrate carnival with a bang; last May the Foundation of European Carnival Cities declared the locality World Carnival City for a year.

Carnival starts on February 3 and wraps up on February 8.

The main attraction at Nadur is spontaneity which has been attracting huge crowds since the early 1990s, when anthropologists started documenting the macabre way with which the Nadurin marked carnival.

The Nadur council said its policy had always been that of interfering as little as possible in the event.

The area usually reserved for the revellers will this year be extended - from the main square to the band club - especially over the peak weekend dates as a huge influx of Maltese people is once again expected.

Groups from Italy, Sweden and Germany have already booked their stay at Nadur and the local council has been inundated with enquires from other countries about the carnival. To complement the spontaneous carnival at Nadur, the council will be holding a number of events, including the first-ever Miss Nadur Carnival and Miss Queen Carnival beauty contests.

Exodus, a tent party for all Gozitan youngsters, will be held on February 3, paving the way for a long weekend of fun.

But carnival this year will not be over on February 8, as Nadur will be having another big carnival at the end of May.

The Federation of European Carnival Cities' 25th international convention will this year be held in Gozo between May 28 and June 5, bringing with it hundreds of carnival enthusiasts from all over Europe. Six groups - ranging from dance troupes to samba bands - will be taking part.

The Nadur 2005 convention will also be a week of activities for Maltese and Gozitans to play a part - either as participants or spectators. And the Nadur revellers will once again take to the streets!