The second Malta International Folk Festival will once again enhance the vibes and atmosphere of Christmas in our capital city.

The festival is again being promoted and supported by M & E Management Group – an international entertainment consultancy organisation with offices in Malta, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

Eleven folk and dance troupes, comprising more than 530 participants, will be flying into Malta from countries as diverse as Bosnia, Greece, Moldova, Armenia, Sardinia, Sicily, the United States and Ukraine to offer a marvellous spectacle of culture, ethnic music, singing and dancing in glamourous traditional costumes.

The festival, which is free of charge, will be staged on 27 and 28 December at 9.30pm in what is commonly known as It-Tinda tal-Community Chest Fund in Republic Square, Valletta. This competition will offer prizes cash prizes for the first three places as well as awards for the best choreography, best interpretation and best costumes.

The independent judging panel, which will be composed of Massimo Ellul, Joseph Deguara, Eldrige Saliba Curmi, Joseph Borda and Joseph J. Mifsud, will be chaired by Grace Borg, who is also the chairwoman of the MaltaSong Board.

Some 20 journalists and media people from all the participating countries will be accompanying the delegations and reporting the festival, and Malta in general. Dr Ellul, who is the chief executive officer of the group, will also be representing the European Association of Festival Promoters during the Malta International Folk Festival, of which he is vice-president.

This association has been instrumental in subsidising an extensive amount of the costs involved in bringing over and accommodating such a large number of international participants.

When contacted, Dr Ellul said that following the huge success of last year’s festival, he was inundated with requests from groups wishing to take part in this year’s festival from across the globe.

The participants were chosen by the organising committee to ensure that the local culture aficionados get the cream of the crop.

The M & M Management Group has successfully conducted local, national and international events in more than 24 countries worldwide, with a proven track record of folk shows and festivals. During 2003/2004, it staged shows involving established artistes and troupes from countries such as Mexico, Italy, Malta, India, England, Sri Lanka, Slovak Republic, Hungary, Armenia, Yugoslavia, Greece, Cyprus, Belgium, Poland, Sicily, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.