Notte Bianca 2017: A Night to Remember

This annual celebration is a long-awaited one- locals and tourists alike look towards this night with anticipation throughout the entire year. On Saturday, October 7th, the city of Valletta will be laden with art shows, musical acts, theatrical acts, literary events and digital exhibitions. Shops, cafes and restaurants are open till the early hours of the morning, and all the streets of Valletta come to life.

Notte Bianca, or “White Night” in English and “Lejl Imdawwal” in Maltese, is one of Malta’s most prestigious outdoor events, attracting over 60,000 people per year.This is the culture festival’s 12th year in Valletta; rumour has it that this year’s festival, directed by Sean Buhagiar, is ready to exceed all expectations. A large variety of specialist art exhibitions, musical performances, and dance shows will be taking place in the streets and piazzas of Valletta throughout the night, and locals exhibiting traditional crafts and selling local produce will bring forth that touch of traditional Maltese culture to the night.

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When we say that all of Valletta comes to life, we really mean ALL of Valletta- from the city gate, to Fort St Elmo, the streets and roads will be filled with music and entertainment. Even venturing to the Upper Barrakka gardens will be a treat- the view of the Three Cities at night will be nothing short of wonderful. Merchant Street, Strait Street and all the old Valletta side roads will be filled with stalls as well as open shops, for that bit of late night shopping. If you’re feeling cultural or artsy, all museums around the city will be open, including the Archaeology Museum and St. John’s Cathedral. This is a great opportunity for those who would like to get lost in, explore, or learn about Valletta in the most creative way possible.

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Look out for:

• Openness: ŻfinMalta; at Pjazza Teatru Rjal, from midnight until 1am. ŻfinMalta invites you to admire an artistic journey towards their other dance project, “Qalbna”, a project commissioned for the official opening ceremony of Valletta’s nomination as European Capital of Culture 2018. The exhibition will close with a dance performance set to a composition by Maltese-born Véronique Vella.
• NOTTE BLANK; at Fort St. Elmo, from midnight until 4am. International artists such as ODED NIR, Above Smoke and The Floating Fluxman will be performing live for the masses. Look out for the visual and artistic displays built through trash collected by #zibel, aimed to create more environmental and recycling awareness.
• BAĦAR TA’ POEŻIJA; at the School of Arts, Old Bakery Street, from 7pm till midnight. An exhibition of Maltese poetry, inspired by the Mediterranean Sea, with an interactive installation by the Interactive Architecture Lab, that explore the fragility of boats and the topic of immigration. An interesting, current topic, romanticised by Maltese Literature.

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The event is totally free of charge, so bring your friends and family to this memorable occasion, and prepare to be astounded by the beauty that is Valletta by night.