The last full weekend of October is a busy one. Junior Eurovision is on the Saturday night, Żejtun holds its olive festival across both days, and the clocks go back early on Sunday.
Junior Eurovision, Saturday 24 October
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest goes out live from the MFCC in Ta’ Qali at 21:00 Malta time.
The MFCC sits between Attard and Mtarfa. Bus routes 404 and 405 run to Ta’ Qali, and there is parking on site.
Żejt iż-Żejtun, 24 and 25 October
Żejt iż-Żejtun (Żejtun oil) is Żejtun’s olive festival. The local council runs it on the Saturday evening and the Sunday morning.
The programme includes:
- a parade of the olive harvest on carts, with drummers and flag bearers in medieval dress
- folk singers and dancers
- displays of old farm tools, local produce and folk art
- a blessing of pets, horses and cattle
- free bread with freshly pressed olive oil to taste
Children also get to plant trees. The council has not published start times yet, so check its page nearer the day.
There is more on the harvest itself in Malta’s olive harvest.
Other things on that weekend
Sunday 25 October is the feast of Our Lady of Consolation in Gudja. The rest of the year’s feasts are on the festas page.
The same morning, Heritage Malta opens Ta’ Mintna Catacombs in Mqabba for one day. The details are in the catacombs open days piece.
The clocks go back on Sunday
Summer time ends at 03:00 on Sunday 25 October, when the clocks go back to 02:00. You get an extra hour in bed after the Saturday night.
Sunset moves from 18:16 on Saturday to 17:15 on Sunday. The full table is in the clocks go back on 25 October.
Rooms and cars
Junior Eurovision brings delegations, fans and television crews to the island. Book rooms and hire cars well ahead for this weekend.
All the dated events are in the events calendar.
