For those who love the occasion, the 1 to 5 February next year will be fun days, because that is when Carnival will be held in Malta, the national Folklore Commission has announced.

Various competitions will be held for participants in the carnival defile, as usual, with prizes ranging from Lm1,220 for first prize in the bands’ grotesque marches category, to Lm250 for the third prize in the sixth contest, for companies of costumed children. In all, some 25 prizes will be awarded.

Applications will be received at the Maltese Council for Culture and the Arts, 230 Casa Gaspe, Republic Street, Valletta, between 29-31 August.