Village feasts are the biggest events in the Maltese calendar, but they are not spread evenly through the year. Almost all of them happen in summer. Whether you see one depends mostly on the month you visit.
Most feasts are in July and August
We list a hundred and thirty-four parish feasts in Malta and Gozo. August has thirty-two of them and July has twenty-six.
June, July, August and September together have ninety. November has one and January has two.
The reason is the weather. A feast takes place outdoors over several evenings, with a band marching through the streets and fireworks after dark. That needs warm, dry nights, and Malta has those from June to September.
A feast lasts several days
The date we list is the feast day itself, which is usually a Sunday. Much of what visitors want to see happens on the days before it.
Bands play in the square on those evenings, the church and the streets are lit up, and fireworks are set off on several nights. If you arrive only on the feast day you will miss a lot of it.
Plan how you will get home
Feasts take place in the middle of villages and the streets around the church are closed. Parking near the square fills up by early evening.
Buses still run but they get very full, and the last bus usually leaves before the fireworks finish. Work out how you will get back before you go, or plan to stay until the end.
Santa Marija on 15 August
The fifteenth of August is Santa Marija, the feast of the Assumption. It is a public holiday as well as a feast day.
Eight parishes in Malta and Gozo celebrate it on the same date, so it is the busiest day of the year. If you travel that week, expect full ferries, busy beaches and many businesses closed.
In 2026 it falls at a weekend.
Where to find the dates
Every parish feast has its own page on this site with the date, the village and how to get there. The calendar shows what is on in any given week. Start from the month you are visiting and then choose a village.
