All genres of music, hundreds of live performers, nine outdoor music festivals, one summer. These will certainly add oomph to your summer in Malta.
Summer in Malta is rife with activity, mostly happening under the stars. The night is for the taking, with a series of events, concerts and plays at outdoor venues. Among the events to look forward to, these eight massive music festivals are worth marking in your calendar, presenting all genres of music and hundreds of live performances for a long hot summer of good fun. If you're on the island when these are happening, you'll want to be there!
NOTE: All videos are promos or aftermovies of past events; the dates for 2018 are listed. Click the festival name to go to the festival website.
18th-19th May 2018
Expect a showcase of Mediterranean and world music by Maltese bands and international world music acts this May. The Malta World Music Festival celebrates cultural diversity, exchange and dialogue and the vitality that arises thereof through the universal language of music.
31st May - 3rd June 2018
Expect a sizeable festival village with five diverse music stages, an active live jamming area, the inviting healing fields, a colourful ethnic market and tempting food stalls nestled among the trees. Weekend campers are transported to hippiedom while day visitors wander in and out.
22nd-23rd June 2018
Expect a local vibe, local artisanship and local food as this festival centres around Malta's traditional folk song. The two-day festival, however, showcases fusion music from around the Mediterranean, with foreign acts from Algeria to Israel, aiming to highlight the unity in diversity of the traditional genre. The setting of Ghanafest is beautiful Argotti Gardens, perched high on the bastions at Floriana.
Inġeddu l-memorji tal-Għanafest ta' din is-sena ġewwa il-ġnien maġistiku San Girgor, Żejtun
Posted by Għanafest on Tuesday, 18 July 2017
29th June - 15th July 2018
Expect a varied two-week programme of theatre, music, dance and visual arts from a broad range of genres at a variety of open-air venues of historical significance. The Malta International Arts Festival includes a wide range of performances targeting different audiences, so as to inspire a taste for the arts. The festival also includes workshops with some of the international guests.
10 days in July-August - dates to be announced
Expect crowds of locals and visitors flocking to cool off with several cold beers and a choice of entertainment at Ta' Qali National Park. Running for ten days, the festival is the largest showcase of local musical talent from all genres. Entrance is free.
27th June - 1st July 2018, starting with Isle of MTV on 27th June
Expect shrieking fans for the likes of past acts like the Chainsmokers, Calvin Harris, Lady Gaga and Snoop Dogg. Starting off with the massive Isle of MTV concert in a historic square, the Malta Music Week moves on to a week of music events at a variety of venues, ranging from club nights and pool parties to live street concerts.
16th-21st July 2018
Expect an open-air stage with an impressive backdrop of lit-up fortifications shimmering on the calm waters of the Grand Harbour. Jazz music by elite artists wafts through the air as a few yachts drift in to lend an ear. The Jazz Festival is perhaps the most prestigious music event in Malta, with critical acclaim worldwide.
14th-16th August 2018
Following two successful editions, Glitch Festival is back with it’s third edition this summer, delighting electronic music enthusiasts from all over the world at Gianpula fields in August. Featuring multiple stages from rooftop pool parties to a secret, ancient vault, the festival also promises an impressive line-up of industry heavy weights including Nina Kravitz, Jeff Mills and Floorplan, as well as a rare live appearance by legendary electro figures Dopplereffekt.
End of September - dates to be announced
Expect the familial vibe of a small not-for-profit festival that is run with wholehearted passion to create an 'atmosphere of learning, creativity, fun, relaxation, charity, sharing of new ideas, and awakenings to what’s going on outside our Bubble.' You'll experience contemporary art and music, a special focus on workshops and on-site camping on an idyllic headland by the beach, all in support of humanitarian causes.
It would be a shame if you missed out!