Special Christmas in Vittoriosa

Vittoriosa's streetlights will be turned off and the historic town illuminated by Christmas lights for a special event taking place on December 22.

The streets will be decorated with Christmas trees, cribs and mangers and bands will play in the streets for the first edition of Carols By Christmas Lights, organised by the council and the Malta Tourism Authority.

Kiosks will sell Christmas-related and Maltese food and delicacies and music will be played by the Prince of Wales and the San Lawrenz bands. Christmas characters will roam the streets on stilts as popular artistes sing Christmas songs in Vittorja Square.

Meanwhile, Christmas songs will be sung by the Joy Gospel Singers in the parish church dedicated to St Lawrence, by the Enkor Choir in the church of the Annunciation and the Ghaxaq Folk Ensemble at St Joseph Oratory, in the main church.

The evening will also include an exhibition of small, international cribs at the Inquisitor's Palace.

Launching the event, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said Vittoriosa was renowned for the organisation of events on a national scale that not only contributed to the historical town's regeneration but also attracted visitors and tourists.

Statistics showed that, in 2006, Cottonera was visited by 315,000 tourists, a considerable figure that represented about 28 per cent of tourists that come to Malta. However, these areas had even more potential, which was being capitalised on, Dr Zammit Dimech said. This Christmas event, like Birgu By Candlelight, was likely to be as popular and establish itself firmly on the country's calendar of events.