Carnival in Gozo will again this year be held over two weekends, after the success all events garnered last year when the committee for cultural events within the Gozo Ministry implemented changes to the annual organised festivities.

The Gozo Carnival will kick off in Victoria on Friday 9 February with a défilé and dance and costume competitions followed by the Nadur Carnival on Sunday 11 February in the afternoon.

The Children’s Carnival, involving competitions between primary and secondary schools for best dance and costume, will take place on Friday 16 February, repeated again this year on Saturday and Sunday morning. Friday evening will also include Carnival events in the main squares of Xaghra and Xewkija.

Saturday evening will see Carnival events happening in Xewkija, Qala and San Lawrenz while on Sunday the main events will take place in Victoria’s main streets and enclosure. On Monday, Carnival moves to Qala, Gharb and Sannat while Tuesday sees the Grand Défilé in Victoria that seals off all celebrations.

Carnival this year sees for the first time the participation of a new category entitled Allegrija which includes a mixture of humour and live musical tunes.

Besides the organised events, the traditional Carnival days of Friday to Tuesday will also witness the spontaneous Carnival in Nadur.

Commenting on the events taking place within the Gozo Carnival 2007, Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono said that once again the Cultural Council within the ministry has worked closely with all local councils in Gozo to coordinate one major festival of popular events that could serve as an attraction to the domestic tourism market during one of the leaner periods of the year.

Minister Debono also referred to the scheme offered by Gozo Channel and hotels and restaurants in Gozo, that is applicable to all those (excluding Gozitans) travelling to Gozo after 5.15pm, and that could serve to further boost patronage to Gozo during the Carnival days.

The Gozo Carnival is organised annually by the Cultural Council within the ministry, in collaboration with the Gozo Local Councils.