Feast of St Francis in Sliema

On Sunday 11 October, Sliema honours St Francis with a festa that brings the town together. The day opens with a religious procession featuring the saint's statue, led by a local band club whose traditional marching music is a fixture of Maltese celebrations. Throughout the day, streets fill with decorations, stalls selling traditional sweets and pastries, and the gathering energy of crowds.

As the sun sets, the festa reaches its climax with fireworks: both ground petards and aerial displays light Sliema's skyline, a tradition shared across Maltese parishes. The feast offers a window into parish life, with the procession and fireworks showing the community bonds that sustain these centuries-old celebrations.