A festival dedicated to beer:

All weekend: The Farsons Beer Festival – Ta’ Qali

The Farsons Beer Festival and summer go together like a good brew and music, which is exactly what this event offers – and lots of it too! The line-up this weekend includes highlights such as The Fuzzhoneys playing on the rock stage on Friday, Red Electrick and The Crowns on the main stage on Saturday and The Riffs on Sunday. And, if that isn’t enough, we’re being promised Bands bil-Bajd (bands with balls). Wonder how many of those there’ll be?

Friday, 27 July from 9pm: Malta Pub Crawl – various locations

The pub crawl used to be a nightlife staple – the perfect way to idle away an evening with a bunch of friends. At some point, with the rise of lounge clubs, many started to choose a venue and stick to it (which was obviously good for the business owners). But, it seems grazing has come back into fashion here on the island, with the Malta Pub Crawl being organised to get people together, make new friends and hop from one watering hole to another. International participants are almost guaranteed, so you get a different view of the island in all senses. These are usually organised a few times a week, with Mondays and Fridays being dedicated to Paceville and Tuesdays to Valletta. 

Partying on sea or on land:

Friday, 27 July from 7:30pm – 10:30pm: Red Light - Open Bar Boat Party – Bugibba Jetty; Friday, 27 July from 6pm: Party Malta Cruises 2018: All Inclusive Boat Party – Sliema Seafront; Friday, 27 July from 8pm: CF Fundraising Summer Party - Cafe Del Mar, St Paul’s Bay; Sunday, 29 July from 7:30pm – 1am: Gianluca Vacchi at Café del Mar - Cafe Del Mar, St Paul’s Bay

This is the time of year to head outside, or out on the water, if you can, whatever the time of day. Two boat parties – both taking place on Friday night, one from Sliema and the other launching from Bugibba – are offering open bar and a chance to take to the high seas. If you don’t even want the temptation of diving into the sea wasted, head to Café del Mar for the CF Fundraising summer party where there will be food and drink (though no open bar). And, you might want to extend your poolside Sunday at the popular lido a bit longer with DJ Gianluca Vacchi talking to the decks from 7:30pm.

Saturday, 28 July from 4pm: Unite with Tomorrowland, Malta - Marsa Sports Ground, Marsa

Social media has been abuzz for months, with revellers keenly anticipating this international party which live links from the Tomorrowland main stage in Belgium. Last year, a staggering 360,000 people (three-fourths the population of Malta!) attended the full festival, which usually stretches over a couple of weekends in the northern European country. Saturday, the electronic music party will be beamed to seven locations around the world – including our very own island – so party-goers can live the experience together.

And now for something completely different:

Friday, 27 July from 8pm: Night at the Museum - National Museum of Natural History, Mdina; Friday, 27 July from 9pm: Parade & the Velvet Gentleman - Teatru Manoel, Valletta

Remember the famous Ben Stiller film, Night at the Museum? Well, now you can actually experience it thanks to Heritage Malta, who are organising a ‘sleepover’ at one of Malta’s foremost museums: the National Museum of Natural History. If you think this is too tame, well, don’t! The evening will be dedicated to bats, and there will be museum curators and experts telling you weird and wonderful tales. This will definitely be a night to remember! On the same night, but this time in our capital, an interdisciplinary balletic performance of Parade & the Velvet Gentleman, based on the iconic ballet 'Parade', first performed in 1917 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, won’t mess with your body clock, but will still amaze. 

All weekend from 8pm every evening: Kinemastik International Short Film Festival - Msida Bastion Historic Garden, Floriana; Saturday, 28 July at midnight: Saturday Midnight Screening - La Vita e Bella – The Cinebar by Citylights, Valletta; Sunday, 29 July from 8:30pm: About the Sea - Short film programme - Pjazza Mifsud Bonnici, Marsascala

Indulge this weekend with three very different sets of film screenings. The Kinemastik International Short Film Festival is happening over all three nights, so you could feasibly just set up camp there and try out their fare – both in terms of drinks, snacks and movies. This is much more than a film event! If you have kids, try and make it on Sunday where they focus on the little ‘uns and give them a filmic experience – and a party – to remember. Still not tired after Kinemastik on Saturday? In the capital, the Cinebar by Citylights is screening one of the world’s most moving and memorable films: Life is Beautiful, starring Italian comedian and actor Roberto Benigni. And, on Sunday, Solar Cinema is heading to Marsascala and screening their short film programme about the sea. Apt, we would say.