Iż-Żejtun is preparing to celebrate the start of the olive picking season. Since the place name, Żejtun, means olive and is invariably associated with olive tree cultivation in all Semetic/Arab-speaking cultures, it was only natural for the Żejtun Local Council to commemorate the olive-pressing season. Organised during the last weekend of this month, this year it will be held on the evening of Saturday, 29 and Sunday, 30 September noon.

The focal point of the festivity is the blessing of freshly picked olives on the parvis of the parish church and the pressing of the olives followed by free tasting of Maltese ftajjar dressed in freshly pressed virgin olive oil. All this occurs amid Maltese folk music singing and dancing accompanying a defile of village folk and farmers on carts carrying the olive harvest. Drummers and flag bearers provide a colourful background for several re-enactments which stretch from the centre of Żejtun to the precincts of the old medieval parish church, which will be open to the public. Moreover, folk singing and dancing will also be held in the open space of the chapel of St Mary in the upper village and the chapel of Tas-Salvatur in the lower village, which will host performances of Maltese style Commedia dell'Arte.

Indeed Żejt iż-Żejtun celebrates in style the revival of a rural industrial activity highly prevalent in Malta during Punic/Roman times, long neglected and almost totally forgotten. Since the late 1970s, the new interest generated by a fresh reappraisal of pure olive oil as an intrinsic element of the typically Mediterranean diet, conductive to a healthy life style, has resulted in great impetus for olive tree cultivation on a large scale and the production of olive oil.

Iż-Żejtun is proud to be a protagonist in celebrating this revived heritage. The two civic bands of Żejtun will participate and all churches, clubs and places of interest will be open to visitors.

During the evening, organist Joseph Caruana will give an organ recital on the grand organ of the parish church. On Sunday morning the festival will continue with several folk activities, band marches, a defile of horses for the animal blessing and of course olive pressing.

A park and ride service will be available on Saturday from 7pm till midnight from Bulebel Industrial Estate near Inspire. Ample parking space will be provided in Żejtun itself.

Everyone is invited to attend.