August is the busiest month of the summer tourist season in Gozo – long, hot weekends relaxing on the beautiful beaches and many activities planned across the island including festas, entertainment, and exhibitions to name but a few. For further details of events please click here.

One of the highlights of the month are the celebrations for the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, also known as Santa Marija.

Many thousands of people are expected to visit the island to enjoy the celebrations in Victoria, which attracts many Maltese and tourist alike.

Those working in the tourism industry including accommodation, as well as local businesses across Gozo, are all looking forward to the increase in business, with the promise of bumper bookings through the extra visitors.

Another special event commemorated in August, is the 77th anniversary of the arrival of the Santa Marija convoy. This convoy saved Malta from surrender when the allied convoy of food and fuel reached the islands on the 15th of August 1942, despite the heavy bombardment inflicted by German and Italian planes and the sinking of many of the ships.

The Santa Marija Feast is also being celebrated in seven villages in Malta: Attard, Dingli, Ghaxaq, Gudja, Mosta, Mqabba and Qrendi.

The Leone Philharmonic Society is organising a variety of events throughout the first half of August, culminating on the Feast Day of Santa Marija – the 15th of August.

Solemn celebrations, Band marches, street festivities, audio-visual and firework shows, etc. will be held throughout the city of Victoria.

The programme of activities has been announced as follows:

Wednesday 7th August

8:30pm – Traditional Open-Air Dinner organised by the Leone Philharmonic Society. Tickets may be purchased in advance from info@leone.org.mt.

Friday 9th August

9:00pm – Leone Band in concert | Festa edition: open-air concert by the Leone Band featuring classical, symphonic and mixed-genre music including the much-sought cantata in honour of Our Lady ‘Per La Festa Di Maria Assunta In Cielo’ (1913). Seat reservations are strongly recommended – (+356) 99130694 or info@leone.org.mt.

Saturday 10th August

8:00pm – An open-air vigil of prayer in Cathedral Square at the Gozo Cittadella.

Sunday 11th August

9:30pm – The Leone Band and Saint Gregory (Kercem) parades the Santa Marija statue (2008) from the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Grace all the way up to the Leone Band Club in Republic Street.

The evening ends as the statue ascends on the monumental plinth to popular marches and ground-fireworks (Catherine Wheels) at midnight.

Monday 12th August

9:30pm – Popular band march by the Leone Band (Victoria) and Saint Joseph (Hal-Ghaxaq) departing Savina Square towards St Ursola Street. Revelling youths party all the way through Republic Street.

The evening ends with a street party in front of the Leone Band Club with an audio-visual show with fireworks at midnight.

Tuesday 13th August

9:30pm – The Leone Band (Victoria) and the Santa Marija Band (Zebbug) march along the streets of the historic centre of Victoria as a Santa Marija statue (1956) is carried shoulder high. Meanwhile, St Laurence Band (Birgu, Malta) performs band marches in Republic Street and Independence Square.

The evening ends as the statue ascends on the grand plinth to popular marches at midnight in the city’s main square.

Wednesday 14th August

11:00am – Children’s Parade with the grand flag that flies on the Leone Band Club from the Gozo Cittadella to the Leone Band Club in Republic Street.

5:30pm – Band march by the Leone Band from the main square to the Gozo Cittadella as a spectacle of daylight fireworks is let off from Gelmus Hill.

9:30pm – A grand triumphal march by the Leone Band (Victoria) and St Sebastian Band (Qormi) as thousands of revellers party from the Leone Band Club and along Republic Street with traditional and festive chants ending in Sabina Square. Spectacular firework shows open and close the evening after midnight.

Thursday 15th August

Throughout the day, the traditional Santa Marija agricultural fair is open for thousands of visitors at the Villa Rundle public gardens in lower Republic Street.

9:00am – Solemn high mass presided by H.E. the Gozo Bishop at the Gozo Cathedral with the participation of choir and orchestra

11:00am – Traditional and popular band march in the historic centre of Victoria, starting and ending in the city’s main square and passing through Victoria’s narrow streets. 12th May (Haz-Zebbug) and St Joseph (Hal-Ghaxaq) bands shall participate.

A spectacular fireworks show will be let off from Independence Square.

2:30pm – National and traditional street horse races in Republic Street which, to date, is known by one and all as racecourse street.

6:45pm – Solemn procession with the Santa Marija statue (1896). The Leone Band performs the much-acclaimed cantata in honour of Our Lady “Per La Festa Di Maria Assunta In Cielo” (1913) in an emotional start of the procession which makes its way through the old streets of the city’s historic centre. Spectacular coloured fireworks are let off during the 4-hour procession during which the Leone Band performs.

9:00pm – The Santa Marija statue is welcomed in lower Palm Street by the Franciscan Nuns who sing a cappella the Salve Regina in Gregorian plainchant from the terraces of their monastery.

Thousands of people join to witness the devotional scene of the procession before it starts its way up towards the Gozo Cittadella.

10:00pm – Spectacular and resounding fireworks spectacle lit from Gelmus Hill, visible from the Gozo Cittadella.

10:30pm – Solemn entrance of the Santa Marija statue inside the Gozo Cathedral with an aux flambaux gathering in the Cittadella’s main square and access road.

Photograph by Alain Salvary

Permalink: August in Gozo, entertainment, beaches and the Santa Marija Feast