Malta Carnival 2027 will take place from Friday 5 to Tuesday 9 February 2027: these are the dates announced by Festivals Malta, which organises it (page read on 22 October 2026). The big float parades take place in Valletta and Floriana. In Gozo, the village of Nadur has its own carnival, at night and with no programme: everyone comes in the strangest costume they can think up, says the Gozo tourism office.
What is it like? Giant floats, dance companies in costume, bands and big grotesque masks. Tickets are sold for the shows in St George's Square, but the floats also parade along Republic Street. February is the coolest month of the year (12.6 °C on average) and often windy: a good time for families in the afternoon in Valletta, and for partygoers at night in Nadur.
- Dates: 5 to 9 February 2027, according to Festivals Malta (in 2026: 13 to 17 February).
- Where: Valletta and Floriana; in Gozo, Victoria and Nadur.
- Tickets: for the shows in St George's Square, on Ticketline; 2027 prices not published yet.
- Nadur: at night, with no programme, with fake blood and scary masks; more for adults.
- Getting there: by bus, €2 a journey in winter; for Nadur, the ferry from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr, which also crosses at night.
- With children: the afternoons in Valletta and the Victoria parade.
- Weather: 12.6 °C on average, sunset around 5.30pm, wind: it got the finale of 17 February 2026 cancelled.
Malta Carnival 2027 dates
As of 22 October 2026, Festivals Malta's carnival page announces Il-Karnival ta' Malta from 5 to 9 February 2027, in Valletta, Floriana and other places. The time is marked “TBC” (to be confirmed) and the day-by-day programme is not there yet; the 2026 one is still on the page.
The date changes every year: carnival takes place just before the start of Lent, as the Maltese channel TVM noted on 13 February 2026. In 2026, it ran from Friday 13 to Tuesday 17 February. Here is the 2026 programme from Festivals Malta, to give you an idea.
| Date (2026) | Place | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 7 February, 7pm | Ħamrun and Santa Venera (St Joseph High Street) | “Carnival by Night”, floats on display in the evening, for families |
| Sunday 8 February | Ħamrun | Band and costume parade |
| Friday 13 February, 5pm | St George's Square, Valletta | First day, dance competition and the King Carnival float |
| Saturday 14 February, 9.30am | St George's Square | Saturday morning programme, dancing and floats |
| Sunday 15 February, 2.30pm | St George's Square | Dance competition and float parade |
| Tuesday 17 February, 6pm | St Anne Street, Floriana | Grand finale, floats on display (cancelled because of the wind) |
Source: Festivals Malta, 2026 event pages, read on 22 October 2026.
The Valletta and Floriana carnival
This is the big organised carnival, which pays tribute to one of Malta's oldest traditions, says Festivals Malta. Floats compete in four sections (A to D), along with dance companies in costume, bands and schools, and maskeruni, sets of five big grotesque masks. Floats in sections A, B and C can be up to 6.07 m high. The King Carnival float (Ir-Re tal-Karnival) parades with them.
Where to watch the parades
- St George's Square: the dance competitions (visitmalta blog). In 2026, its programmes sent you to Ticketline for tickets; 2027 prices are not published as of 22 October 2026.
- Republic Street: the floats parade along this street, according to the same blog.
- St Anne Street, in Floriana: the grand finale on Tuesday, with floats on display along the street (6pm in 2026).
Between two parades, our guide things to do in Valletta gives you the sights of the city.
The Nadur carnival in Gozo, at night
For the Gozo tourism office, Nadur is the island's spontaneous and satirical carnival: there is no programme, you just turn up in the strangest costume you can think up. It starts after sunset, with no choreographed dances: mostly grotesque acts, in small groups or solo, and costumes that comment on society with humour. The visitmalta blog talks about fake blood, scary masks and a misty night-time atmosphere unique to the square in Nadur.
The Nadur dates for 2027 have not been announced as of 22 October 2026. In 2026, Gozo celebrated carnival from 13 to 17 February, on the same days as Valletta (visitgozo.com), and Malta Public Transport had planned special buses for Nadur from 13 to 15 February.
Getting to Nadur in the evening from Malta
The Gozo Channel ferry links Ċirkewwa to Mġarr, Gozo's harbour, in about 25 min. Buses 41 and 42 run from Valletta to Ċirkewwa, and the 222 comes from Sliema. You pay for your ticket on the way back, at the Mġarr terminal, with no booking. As of 22 October 2026, it costs €4.65 per adult, or €4.05 if you leave Gozo after 8pm from November to March; €1.15 from 3 to 12 years old, free up to 2 years old (Gozo Channel fares).
The ferry also crosses at night. On the timetable shown by Gozo Channel (example of Tuesday 17 March 2026), boats leave Mġarr at 10.30pm, 11.15pm, midnight, 12.45am, 1.30am and 2.15am, then on through to the morning. The February 2027 timetable is not online yet as of 22 October 2026.
In Mġarr, bus route 322 goes through Nadur, whose first stop is 3 minutes from the harbour. Its last departure from the harbour is at 10.25pm on weekdays and 11pm at weekends (as of 22 October 2026). For the 2026 carnival, Malta Public Transport had announced shuttles between the harbour and Nadur, timed to the ferries, late-night returns to all the villages of Gozo, and S41 buses to Valletta and S222 buses to Sliema from Ċirkewwa, depending on demand (press release of 11 February 2026). For 2027, nothing has been announced as of 22 October 2026.
After the last bus, there are taxis: the Gozo tourism office mentions white taxis at the Mġarr terminal and at Victoria bus station, and the Bolt, eCabs and Uber apps. The fast ferry from Valletta and everything about the crossing: our guide how to get to Gozo.
The other carnivals: Victoria and summer
In Victoria, the capital of Gozo, the main parade goes along the main street to Independence Square, where each company dances or puts on an act; the children's dance companies parade there too. Some Gozo villages also hold street parties and small parades (visitgozo.com). For a day on the island: things to do in Gozo.
There is also a summer carnival, Il-Karnival tas-Sajf: in 2026, from 21 to 23 August, with floats and dancing along the promenades of Buġibba (often written Bugibba) and Marsaskala, with free entry according to Festivals Malta. The 2027 edition has no date yet as of 22 October 2026.
Practical info: buses, children and the weather
By bus to Valletta and Floriana
From 18 October 2026 to 12 June 2027, the bus costs €2 a journey (valid for 2 hours, changes included), paid on board in cash or by contactless card; €3 for special and night buses; free under 4 (Malta Public Transport, as of 22 October 2026). For the 2026 carnival, the operator had announced routes to Valletta running later and more often on Sunday, and two bays at the Valletta bus terminus moved to Triq San Publiju and Triq Sarria: allow extra time.
With children
Choose the afternoon: in 2026, the Sunday programme in St George's Square started at 2.30pm. The Victoria parade features the children's dance companies, and “Carnival by Night”, in Ħamrun, was designed for families. Nadur, at night, with fake blood and scary masks, is better for adults.
The weather during carnival
February is the coolest month of the year: 12.6 °C on average at Luqa, the reference station of the Malta Met Office (1991-2020 normal). On the older 1961-1990 normal, afternoons reach 15.5 °C and nights 9.3 °C: take a warm jacket for the evening. On average, 69 mm of rain falls during the month, and the sun shines 6.6 hours a day. On 1 February 2027, it sets at 5.29pm: the evening parades take place in the dark.
It is also a windy month: 9.4 knots of average wind in a normal year, 12.8 knots in February 2026. On 17 February 2026, under an orange wind warning, Festivals Malta confirmed the cancellation of the Floriana finale and of the St George's Square programme, and the fast ferry between Valletta and Mġarr suspended its crossings (MaltaToday, 17 February 2026). On the day itself, check the announcements from Festivals Malta. The whole month in detail: Malta in February.
The history of carnival in Malta
Carnival goes back to the time of the Knights of St John, TVM noted on 13 February 2026. According to Lovin Malta (13 February 2026), the Order's historian, Giacomo Bosio, describes carnival celebrations in 1535, in Birgu, the Knights' first city. Grand Master Jean Parisot de La Valette allowed people to wear a mask in public, which was forbidden for the rest of the year; under the British, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the floats made fun of politicians (MaltaToday, 9 February 2012).
For sweets, the visitmalta blog mentions perlini, sugar-coated almonds, and prinjolata. According to the Gozo tourism office, prinjolata was the last treat before Lent, when people went without sweets until Easter.
Evenings out and day trips around carnival
As of 22 October 2026, we have no 2027 carnival party on sale. For going out in the evening at this time of year: where to party in Malta in February.
During the day, our Gozo day trips run all year round, every day, weather permitting: by quad, by buggy, by jeep with a driver or by tuk-tuk, with pick-up depending on where you are staying; the details are given when you book. When the sea is too rough, these four day trips cross by ferry, and you get back around 5pm in winter. There are also days by quad with lunch or by buggy with lunch, all year round, moved or cancelled free of charge in bad weather. None of our trips goes to the Nadur carnival in the evening: for Nadur, it is the ferry and the bus.
At sea, the Hornblower boat trips from Buġibba Jetty start again on 1 February 2027, weather permitting: the day trip to Comino and the caves and the Gozo and Comino day trip; take a jacket, as it gets cold on board from October to May, Hornblower warns. Not running in February: the sunset trips, the Blue Lagoon boat trips with pick-up (from mid-April to mid-October, see the Blue Lagoon guide) and the boat parties.
FAQ about Malta Carnival
When is Malta Carnival in 2027?
From Friday 5 to Tuesday 9 February 2027, according to Festivals Malta as of 22 October 2026. The times are not published yet.
Is Malta Carnival free?
Not entirely: tickets are sold on Ticketline for the shows in St George's Square. The floats also parade along Republic Street, Nadur has no programme, and the 2026 summer carnival had free entry.
When is the Nadur carnival?
In the evening, during the Gozo carnival. The 2027 dates have not been announced as of 22 October 2026; in 2026, it was from 13 to 17 February.
Do you need to dress up?
Not to watch the parades in Valletta. In Nadur, coming in costume is part of the fun.
Can you go with children?
Yes, especially in the afternoon in Valletta and at the Victoria parade. Nadur, at night, is better for adults.
How do you get back from Nadur at night?
The Gozo Channel ferry also crosses at night. For the 2027 buses, check the announcements from Malta Public Transport, which had announced shuttles and late-night returns in 2026.
Where can you see the floats in Valletta?
Along Republic Street and in St George's Square, with a ticket for the square. The Tuesday finale takes place in St Anne Street, in Floriana.
Can carnival be cancelled because of the wind?
Yes, like the finale of 17 February 2026. On the day itself, check the announcements from Festivals Malta.
What should you eat during carnival?
Prinjolata and perlini, sugar-coated almonds.