The streets of Għaxaq were awash with music, colour – and elaborate homemade costumes and tiny floats – as local schoolchildren showed off their carnival chops over the weekend.

Students from the village primary school held their own parade around the village during its traditional carnival celebrations.

The parade revealed what most captured the young revellers’ imaginations, as costumes of Disney princesses, superheroes and other cartoon and videogame characters made frequent appearances.

Others captured Għaxaq’s characteristic quirks, with some children turning up dressed as diverse food items, household appliances and most memorably, a vending machine with edible snacks.

Għaxaq councillor Keith Fenech told Times of Malta that while the children’s parade has not been a long part of the village’s carnival history, the students and their teachers had put in a lot of time to learn about the carnival, with many children working on their costumes and floats during their arts and crafts lessons.

The council had been happy to continue to support the initiative in the hopes that it would encourage more children to take up an interest in the local carnival culture.

Not like Valletta or Nadur but something that you have to experience for yourself

Għaxaq’s spontaneous carnival, or Karnival Spontaqnju Għaxqi as it is known, has reportedly been around for over 150 years. It is something revellers describe as “not like Valletta and not like Nadur” and “something that you have to experience for yourself”.

The village’s traditional carnival is known to bring out the weird and the wacky, with revellers often putting together costumes out of household items and cardboard.

Despite its spontaneous nature, creativity is still key, with many homemade floats still making tongue-in-cheek references and homemade costumes referencing popular culture or political figures.

A lesser-known part of Għaxaq’s carnival traditions is the masquerade. Long-time residents and friends take to the village’s streets and regular haunts in elaborate Venetian masks. Obscuring their identities, the game is often for friends to guess who is hiding behind which disguise. Traditionally, a wrong guess is paid for by a round of drinks at the bar.

Għaxaq’s spontaneous carnival’s main activities continue throughout the weekend, with the majority of homemade floats entering the village tomorrow and Tuesday.