By Rachel Sciberras – Form 2 St.Peter
Carnival was just around the corner! During this carnival season people wear carnival costumes. It happens between the last weekend of February. Carnival in Malta is a significant event on the cultural calendar. This is a Catholic Carnival celebration which means ‘Meat is allowed’.
Building the Carnival floats is a big challenge for several groups around the Maltese islands. Preparing, designing and constructing intricate and brightly coloured floats takes almost a year to complete. These Maltese groups make carnival floats eye-catching and colourful too. Some of these carnival floats also make fun of our politicians. During Carnival time in Valletta and Floriana there are various attractions such as competitive dancing, marching bands and a colourful parade of large floats. The carnival festival is usually opened with a Parata dance to honour Malta’s conquest over the Turks in the 1565 as it was an old tradition.
Typical food which is characteristic of the carnival season includes the Prinjolata (which is a white dome-shaped cake) and the Perlini which are pure almonds coated in sugar. These Perlini are available in a wide range of colours.
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