A record number of people visited Vittoriosa over the weekend, as candles and fjakkoli lit up the city for the annual festival that kicked off with a nice meal known as risottata for nearly 2,000 people.

"Thousands filled the city. It was a record turnout, there must have been more than 10,000 people." the mayor said yesterday.

He thanked all those who cooperated with the organisation and said the only problem was the huge influx of cars, despite efforts to encourage people to come by boat.

Although the rain kept many away from the opening night on Friday, the Italian Master Chef Mario Rovizzoli, assisted by 21 students from the Institute of Tourism Studies, braved the weather conditions to cook and feed all those who flocked to the city armed with umbrellas. A total of 1,991 plates were served up, raising funds for Dar tal-Providenza.

The activities on Saturday night were attended by several thousands, many of whom walked along the narrow, darkened streets, made their way into the bowels of the city's bastions, or squeezed into Victory Square for food and entertainment.

Re-enactments took place and traditional costumes were worn, while churches and museums were open till late.

The activities on Saturday morning were cancelled as a sign of respect for Labour MP Karl Chircop, whose funeral was being held at the time.

"It was a shame that more people did not brave the drizzle on Friday evening since the risottata event was really one of a kind. However, the crowds that thronged to Vittoriosa on Saturday evening more than compensated for that," a spokesman for the Malta Tourism Authority said.

Birgufest, devised in 1994 by the MTA and the Vittoriosa council, has been a regular event on the Maltese calendar ever since. The latest addition of the Birgu by Candlelight event was aimed at enhancing the historical and maritime qualities of the city in order to give it a fairy-tale aura for two nights.