Over the past decades, many had foreseen a time when Maltese festas lose their attraction and crash out of circulation.

The facts we are facing these summer weeks show that quite the opposite is happening.

We are not even half-way through the festa season and we can see the mesmerizing impact that festas have especially on the younger generation.

Of course, most of the religious significance has flown out the window by now in this post-religious era.

There have been a number of significant improvements or upgradings that are impacting on festas, at least in a number of parishes.

First of all, the proliferation on Facebook of videos, photos and the lot both in the weeks before a festa and in the immediate aftermath of its salient points.

Yesterday, for instance, within two minutes, posts appeared on Facebook showing a video of the choreographed singing by hundreds of young people at the Marc ta filghodu.

To this one might add the new selfie sticks which enable particular viewing. One could see such sticks waving around in the midst of the revelers.

One can also say these festa enthusiasts, or fanatics, learn and copy from each other. An innovation enters the celebration and it is quickly copied by the next village.

We have now gone one further. Festa enthusiasts have been going to nearby Sicily and bringing from there technical innovations that have now appeared in some of Malta’s festas.For instance in some villages in Sicily they have paper substituting for fireworks. These have now appeared in at least one parish in Malta. By next year they will be everywhere.

Apart from the band marches where the revelers congregate, others have focused on the colourful decorations that decorate the streets at festa time. For some residents, or people who find the roads hampered by such decorations, or when they are being put up, these are nothing but a nuisance. But they add colour to the drab appearance of the village streets and are a huge attraction to visitors. Some people spend the entire year working away to put up the decorations, and they are not paid at all.

The same goes for others engaged in more church-friendly activities such as bell-ringing, preparing the church for the big day and the like.

And of course one must not forget the volunteers, now including women as well, who spend entire winters in the dangerous task of preparing the colourful (or noisy) fireworks that light up the summer skies.

To conclude: contrary to some predictions, festas have not dwindled into non-existence. Not by a long chalk. On the contrary, through experimentation and copycat activity they keep an increased number of young and not so young enthusiasts occupied for the better part of the year. And, come festa time, they brighten up our towns and villages.

Obviously, there are latent tendencies which must be strictly curbed unless the entire festa is not to be allowed to degenerate – such as shouting of obscenities and/or insults, fighting, dangerous fireworks activities and the like. In this case, the powers that be need and should get the support of all sane citizens.