The Soċjetà Filarmonika Pinto Banda San Sebastjan AD 1862, together with the Kummissjoni Żgħażagħ Bastjaniżi and the Għaqda Armar San Sebastjan-Ħal Qormi AD1984, is for the first time organising a feast dedicated to St Paul in Qormi.

Festivities will start this evening, at 7pm, with bingo and a buffet dinner at the parish centre, during which the final of The X Factor will be shown.

Tomorrow, a traditional fair will be held in St Paul Square from 9am onwards. There will be animal displays and craft exhibitions, a children’s zone, popular band marches, traditional folk singing (għana) and dancing, among other activities.

Celebrations will reach a peak on Monday, the feast of St Paul’s Shipwreck, with Mass in St Paul Square at 10am.

These festivities are marking the 140th anniversary of the inauguration of the statue of St Paul’s in what was then known as ‘Contrada del Naggiar’, now St Paul Square.