The Victoria Local Council in collaboration with the Historical Re-enactment Group of Malta (HRGM) will be commemorating the 210th anniversary of the French surrender in Gozo.

The event itself will feature some 150 Maltese, British, Czech, Italian, Russian, German, Dutch, Norwegian and Swedish historical re-enactors who will “invade” Rabat and the Citadel during their 24-hour stay.

The round-the-clock performance will include:

• Friday 6.00pm to 11.00pm

Living history in the Citadel whereby troops will man, and live in their quarters and the public can actually see troops training, readying and cleaning their firearms, making cartridges, cooking a roast pig over a fire and eating authentic food. Many props and scenes will make the place lively and colourful, and there will also be a fully authentic officers’ mess, a tavern, a prison and even livestock roaming around the “barracks.” Scottish Highland pipers and French drummers and fifers will add even more to the atmosphere by playing both military and folk music from the period.

• Saturday 10.30am to 12noon

There will be a full battle in Rabat (starting at It-Tokk) and the Citadel and after the French defeat, a commemorative ceremony marking this important date in Maltese history and the period where Gozo gained de-facto independence (between 1798 – 1800).

• In addition to the above, “troops” will be performing round-the-clock duties (between Friday noon and Saturday morning) such as guard duties, drill, and patrols in Rabat and the Citadel itself.

• There will also be stalls selling traditional food.

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