Gozo Carnival Dates 2025: A Celebration of Colour, Culture, and Spontaneity

If you were to ask a Gozitan resident, or someone who has visited the island, to describe it, alongside words like "beautiful," "charming," and "stunning," you'd most likely hear "peaceful," "tranquil," "serene," and "idyllic." And this is true for most of the year. However, there are a couple of notable exceptions: Festa season (May to September), when each village celebrates its patron saint and the streets become a riot of colourful banners, lights, and statues, with evenings filled with music, parades, concerts and fireworks; and, of course, Carnival.

Table of Contents

• When Is Carnival This Year?

• Gozo Carnival: A Rich Tradition

• Carnival Floats: A Labour of Love

• The Unique Nadur Spontaneous Carnival

• Gozo Carnival Dates 2025

• Top Tips for Enjoying Gozo Carnival

• Gozo Carnival Dates FAQ

Carnival in Gozo is a week long vibrant explosion of colour, music, and revelry, celebrated across the island, from the capital of Victoria as well as in the villages. It's a chance to witness the true character and humour of Gozitans, with colourful costumes, elaborate floats, and festive food and drink filling the streets. This year, Gozo Carnival 2025 takes place from Saturday, February 22nd to Tuesday, March 4th.

Gozo Carnival: A Rich Tradition:

Carnival festivities on Gozo are deeply rooted in Maltese folklore, with the tradition dating back to the arrival of the Knights of St. John in 1530. The Knights, known for their elaborate feasts and celebrations, introduced Carnival to Malta, and it quickly spread throughout the islands, blending with existing local customs. These early carnivals often involved masked balls, street processions and satirical performances.

Over the centuries, Gozo has developed its unique Carnival traditions, distinct from those of Malta. While both islands share the core spirit of pre-Lenten revelry, Gozo's Carnival has a more intimate and community-focused feel, with a strong emphasis on local participation and creativity. Especially when it comes to the Spontaneous Carnival in Nadur.

Carnival Floats: A Labour of Love:

The elaborate floats that feature in the organised Carnival parades are a testament to the dedication and creativity of local communities. The construction of these floats is a months-long process, often involving entire families or groups of friends. Applications to be part of the Carnival close in August, which should give you an idea of how much time and effort goes into their creation.

The float-building process typically begins with the design phase, where themes are chosen and sketches are drawn. A wooden or metal frame is then constructed as the float's base. This frame is covered with papier-mâché, chicken wire, and other materials to create the desired shapes and figures. Finally, the floats are painted in vibrant colours and adorned with decorations, lights, and sometimes even moving parts, before emerging to be displayed in Victoria and other villages.

It's astonishing to consider that these works of art have been painstakingly created behind closed doors since the previous summer. One of the more entertaining aspects of the early Carnival period is spotting the floats as they make their way from the villages to the main display areas. On one occasion, we even had to help a local float navigate a particularly narrow road. The builders had wisely accounted for height restrictions along the route but had overlooked the width of some of the narrower streets. We spent a good few minutes helping to carefully manoeuvre a twenty-foot serpent past the corner of a traditional balcony!

The Unique Nadur Spontaneous Carnival

Among the many Carnival celebrations, Nadur's "Spontaneous Carnival" stands out as a truly unique experience. Unlike organised events, this celebration has no set rules or official committee. After sunset, from February 28th to March 4th in 2025, the streets of Nadur transform into a stage for masked and hooded figures in often satirical, grotesque, or macabre costumes. This unscripted, organic street party is a must-see for those seeking an authentic and unforgettable taste of Gozo Carnival.

Historically, this event was known as the "Silent Carnival." Due to Gozo's small size, people feared being recognised even in disguise. Therefore, participants maintained silence to protect their identities. In 2005 Nadur was even the World Carnival Capital, hosting international dignitaries for the global Carnival City summit.

GOZO Carnival DATES 2025

Gozo offers a full week of Carnival fever, with events happening all across the island and the main parades taking place in Victoria. You can download the full guide at Events in Gozo.

Main Carnival in Victoria (Rabat):

• Opening Parade: Republic Street, Victoria. Saturday February 22nd 20:00 - 23:30

• Parade: Republic Street & Independence Square, Victoria. February 28th 10:30 - 16:30

• Parade: Republic Street & Independence Square, Victoria. March 1st 18:00 - 23:30

• Parade: Republic Street & Independence Square, Victoria. March 2nd 16:30 - 23:00

• Grand Finale: Republic Street & Independence Square, Victoria. March 4th 17:00 - 23:00

Village Celebrations:

Outside of Victoria, many villages across Gozo also host their own Carnival celebrations. Here are some potential events for 2025, we'll update them with dates and times as soon as we can.

• Għarb Carnival 2025: Visitation Square, February 22nd & 23rd 10:30 - 20:00

• Nadur Carnival (Organised): St Peter & St Paul’s Square, February 23rd, 12:30 - 22:00

• Żebbuġ Carnival: Assumption Square. February 25th 19:00

• Qala Carnival: Qala Square Triq San Guzepp, Qala. Wednesday February 26th 18:30 - 22:30

• Munxar Carnival: Church Square. February 27th 18:00

• Nadur Carnival (Spontaneous): St Peter & St Paul’s Square, Friday February 28th - Tuesday March 1st 18:00 - Late

• Għajnsielem Carnival Ball: St Joseph Band Club. March 1st 19:00

• Marsalforn Carnival: Marsalforn Front. March 1st - 2nd 10:30

• Xagħra Carnival: Nazzarenu Square. March 1st 19:00

• Xewkija Carnival: St John the Baptist Square. March 2nd 10:00

• Xagħra Carnival: Victory Square. March 2nd 13:00

• Sannat Carnival: St Margaret Square. March 3rd 18:30

These celebrations typically feature dance companies, children's performances, marching bands, triumphal floats, and grotesque masks throughout various locations on the island.

Carnival Parties

Carnival isn't just about partying in the streets, there's also plenty of events taking place in Gozo's nightclubs, bars and other places.

• Carnival of the Caribbean: La Grotta, Triq tal-Ghajn, Munxar, February 28th 22:30 - 04:00 €12 - 15 + booking fee.

• Space Invasion: Maxtura, Triq l-Rabat, Marsalforn. February 28th 22:00 - 04:00 €12 - 20 + booking fee.

• Strictly Wild West – Carnival Villa Takeover: Villa Fiorita Triq Tal-Merżuq, Żebbuġ. February 28th 22:00 - 04:00 €12 + booking fee

• The Carnival Masquerade: Maxtura, Triq l-Rabat, Marsalforn. March 1st 22:00 - 04:00 €15 - 20 + booking fee.

• Latex & Leather: Hotel Ta’ Ċenċ & Spa, Triq Ta' Cenc, Sannat. March 1st 22:00 - 03:00 €10- €15 + booking fee

• Cirque De 999: Villa Fiorita Triq Tal-Merżuq, Żebbuġ. March 1st 22:00 - 04:00 €10- €20 + booking fee

• Carnival Fiesta: Teatru Tal-Opra Aurora, Triq ir-Repubblika, Victoria. March 1st 22:00 - 03:00 €15 - 20 + booking fee

Top Tips for Enjoying Gozo Carnival 2025:

Embrace the Costume Spirit: Whether you opt for a humorous, grotesque, or traditional costume, dressing up is a key part of the Carnival experience, especially for Nadur's Spontaneous Carnival.

Experience Nadur After Dark: The Spontaneous Carnival in Nadur, from February 28th to March 4th after sunset, is a truly unique and unforgettable event. Don't miss it!

Dress for Crowds and Comfort: Wear comfortable shoes, as you'll be doing a lot of walking and potentially standing in crowded areas.

Sample Prinjolata: Be sure to try Prinjolata, the traditional almond and citrus Carnival cake. This rich, dome-shaped treat is made with sponge cake, crushed biscuits, pine nuts, almonds, candied citrus peel, and glace cherries. It's often decorated with whipped cream and extra cherries.

Plan your Journey: The Carnival on Gozo is extremely popular and attracts a number of visitors from Malta and beyond. Expect the ferries to be busy, and for their to be traffic delays at peak times. There might also be road closures that impact the buses. Although, Malta Transport usually provides free shuttle buses to and from Nadur. We recommend downloading and checking the Tallinja App. If you're planning on using taxis, expect to have to wait a little longer than usual and for the rides to be more expensive due to demand.

Check Local Listings: While Victoria and Nadur are the main hubs, many other villages also host Carnival celebrations. Check local listings closer to the date for specific events and times.

Where to stay: If you want to be close to action, then obviously you want to stay in Nadur. Be warned though, it's a very busy weekend and accommodation will get booked up quickly. You might also want to consider staying on the outskirts to avoid the late night noise.

Frequently asked questions

When is Gozo Carnival 2025?

This 2025 Gozo Carnival season starts on Saturday February 22nd with the opening parade along Republic Street, Victoria. The first day of the Għarb Carnival is the same day, starting at 10:30 in Visitation Square.

When exactly does Nadur’s Spontaneous Carnival happen?

Every night from Friday February 28th until Tuesday March 1st. The carnival starts at sundown and lasts well into the night.

Is there an official Carnival app for schedules?

There isn't a dedicated Gozo Carnival App but you can download the Events in Gozo app which will include all the information you need to know.

Can kids attend Nadur’s night carnival?

While not prohibited, Nadur’s nighttime celebrations are best suited for adults due to crowded, late-night revelry. We would recommend that families go early or one of the organised carnivals.

can i drive to the nadur carnival?

Malta Transport usually arranges for a shuttle service between Victoria and Nadur. Keep an eye on their news page for details.

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