A cultural family event held every year at the Vittoriosa Marina, this year's Vittoriosafest kicks off on July 28.

The event will include a children's area, Maltese artisan stands, local produce, wine stands, traditional food and a beer garden. A number of displays will be mounted, including one of vintage cars by the Old Motors Club. There will also be gymnastics and martial arts demonstrations and performances by various artistes.

Vittoriosafest will be held between July 28-30, heralding the feast of St Lawrence that starts on July 31.

To minimise the parking problem, boats will run between Senglea and Vittoriosa throughout the three days of the event, entrance to which is free.

The organisers will also hold a fireworks show, known as La Notte Di San Lorenzo, on August 9 at 9.45 p.m. near the Vittoriosa Regatta Club at Kalkara Creek.

The night of August 9 is so called by the Italians due to the famous shooting stars associated with St Lawrence's martyrdom, which, according to history, was held on this particular night in the year 258 in Rome.

The show starts with various spider webs and spherical shells accompanied with music. These will be followed by a pyro-musical display synchronised to Pink Floyd's The Wall.

The second part of the programme will consist of the traditional Maltese multi-break cracker and coloured shells, accompanied by live music by The Philarmonie Royale Concordia, a band from Ottignies, Belgium, which was invited to Malta by the St Lawrence Band Club of Vittoriosa.

The gran finale will see fireworks being let off in sync with songs of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, and the legendary group Abba.

The pyro-musical displays will be handled by Orzella Fireworks Company of Italy and the 10th August Pyrotechnic Group of Vittoriosa. The traditional Maltese shells were prepared by Farrugia Bros. Fireworks Factory of Fontana, Gozo.

Both events are organised by the 10th August Pyrotechnic Group and the St Lawrence External Festivities Committee.