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 Semitic and Arab-speaking cultures, it was only natural for the Żejtun local council to commemorate the olive pressing season. Organised during the last weekend of September this year it will be held on the evening of Saturday, 26 until noon of Sunday, 27.

The focal point of the festival 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. Drummers and flag bearers will provide a colourful background for several re-enactments which stretch from the centre of Żejtun to the old medieval parish church, which will be open to the public. The open space of the chapel of St Mary, in the upper village and the chapel of Tas-Salvatur, in the lower village will host performances of Maltese-style Commedia dell'Arte, folk-singing and dancing.

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. During the late 1970s there was a great interest in the production of pure olive oil due to its healthy benefits in a Mediterranean diet and this resulted in the cultivation of olive trees 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 the public.  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 music, a defile of horses 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.