The long wait is over. Official carnival celebrations kick off on Friday and while last weekend’s storm damaged some floats and destroyed one completely, it certainly did not dampen the enthusiasts’ spirit.
The festival’s artistic director, Jason Busuttil, has announced that this year’s celebrations will be more widespread.
“We have a record number of participants in all categories, we have added a new dance competition and made some changes to the annual programme,” he told this newspaper.
The Valletta celebrations will not just focus on St George’s Square, where the carnival arena is set up. There will be more activity in the streets, with the floats showing off their mechanised features and dancers performing all the way through the défilés.
Saturday, which is traditionally dedicated to children, will not just see dance competitions but there will also be floats on parade throughout the day.
The Ħamrun Carnival on Sunday is being held on a larger scale than usual. More band clubs are taking part, with the parade featuring King Carnival, the satirical float, the Section C companies and grotesque masks.
Mr Busuttil also mentioned the Ballu Tritoni, which will see the Brass House Unit and a number of top local deejays rocking the Triton Fountain area in Valletta, and the staging of the more traditional Qarċilla, a satirical performance of a mock wedding, written by Trevor Zahra and produced by Joseph Galea.
The dance performance titled Parata, also known as the Sword Dance ‒ a historical rendition of the Knights’ victory over the Turks ‒ is taking place once again in St George’s Square on Sunday.
Leading the float pack throughout the five days is King Carnival, which this year takes on an athletic theme and comes complete with the Olympic rings, a dartboard, a baseball, a shuttlecock and a tennis racket. Brothers Clyde and Clint Axisa of Valletta-based Landa Carnival Crew are behind this float.
Among the participants of Triumphal Floats Category A is Dreamteam Carnival Company, led by Christopher Micallef and Alvin Livori, who have worked incessantly together with their team since last weekend’s storm to repair their circus-themed float, which features mechanised figures of comedians such as Laurel and Hardy, Fantozzi, Mr Bean and Charlie Chaplin.
Turning to Category B, RRG Carnival Company, led by Redeemer Casha and Ronald Ghiller, also tried to repair their damaged float, titled The Greatest Showman, which as is evident from its name, is inspired by the 2017 film starring Hugh Jackman as circus magnate P.T. Barnum.
The successful movie also influenced Tal-Buffalo & Co. Carnival Company led by Shaun Curmi and Jean Paul Bonett, who are competing in the same category with the same theme.
Among the teams participating in Category C is Tal-Kaptan Company, led by Charlie, Totwin and Owen Briffa. Their entry, titled Keep Fit, combines Disney characters like Donald Duck, Pluto, Goofy and Mickey and Minnie Mouse with fitness equipment like bicycles, treadmills, dumb-bells and jumping ropes.
These are only some of the quirky themes being presented during this year’s carnival activities in Valletta, which come to an end with the Gran Finale in St Anne Street, Floriana, on Tuesday.
More folly is expected in various other localities this year, including Żejtun, Pietà, Luqa, Għaxaq, Żejtun, Birżebbuġa, Dingli, Marsaxlokk and Ta’ Xbiex. Gozo is also holding several activities, with the main events taking place in Victoria and Nadur.
For a detailed programme of activities on both islands, visit www.karnivaltamalta.org and www.visitgozo.com.
Main carnival programme
March 1
5.30 to 8.15pm: Competitive dancing in St George’s Square, Valletta, followed by a défilé featuring the King Carnival float, grotesque masks and other carnival floats.
March 2
9.30 to 11.30am: Children’s Carnival in St George’s Square, with the participation of children’s dance companies, followed by a défilé of the King Carnival float and some triumphal floats, which will proceed along Republic Street.
2pm to midnight: Programme with dancing companies, triumphal and other floats starting in St George’s Square and continuing along Republic Street.
4 to 7pm: Il-Qarċilla in St John’s Street
5.30 to 11.30pm: Tritoni Carnival Parade, a costume parade by dancing companies, followed by Ballu Tritoni, with the participation of the Brass House Unit and top local deejays.
March 3
9.30am to 1.30pm: Ħamrun Carnival Parade in Main Street, Ħamrun, and St Joseph High Road, Santa Venera.
12.30pm to midnight: Carnival floats parade starting from Castille Place in Valletta.
2.30pm: Parata in St George’s Square.
1 to 5.30pm: Il-Qarċilla in St John Street.
2.30 to 7.30pm: Competitive dancing and défilé featuring the King Carnival float, triumphal and other floats, starting in St George’s Square and proceeding along Republic Street.
March 4
10am to 1pm: Children’s Parade starting from St George’s Square.
4.30 to 9pm: Gran Défilé with the participation of a number of triumphal floats around the streets of Valletta.
March 5
10am to 1pm: Children’s parade with the participation of private dancing schools and groups, starting in St George’s Square, followed
by dance competitions in St George’s Square.
6.30pm to 0.30am: The Gran Finale in St Anne Street, Floriana.
