What it is

The Parade of Carts, Cabs and Carriages is a charming heritage procession held as part of L-Imnarja, one of the oldest and most beloved festivals on the Maltese calendar, on 28-29 June 2026. Traditional Maltese horse-drawn carts, cabs and carriages - many beautifully restored - parade with their owners in period attire, celebrating the island's rural and transport heritage in a colourful, living display of how people and goods once moved around Malta. L-Imnarja (or Mnarja) is an ancient feast with roots reaching back to Roman times; its name comes from the Latin 'luminaria', a reference to the bonfires and illuminations that once lit the celebration. Tied to the feast of St Peter and St Paul on 29 June, it is Malta's great folk and harvest festival, traditionally centred on Buskett Gardens - the wooded valley below Verdala Palace near Rabat - where farmers and families gather through the night for food, folk singing (the famous Maltese 'ghana'), wine and celebration after the harvest. The festivities also include an agricultural show with prize fruit, vegetables, livestock and rabbits, and an equine show, of which the parade of carts and carriages is a highlight. The parade itself is a wonderful sight for visitors: the karozzin (the traditional Maltese horse-drawn cab), farm carts and carriages, the horses groomed and decorated, and participants dressed in the styles of earlier generations, all processing together in a celebration of craft and continuity. It is a rare chance to see these vehicles - usually a picturesque novelty for tourists around Valletta and Mdina - presented in their proper cultural context, as part of a feast that Maltese families have kept for centuries. For a visitor, L-Imnarja and its parade offer one of the most authentic cultural experiences of the Maltese summer. The setting around Buskett and Rabat is green and atmospheric, a short trip from the silent city of Mdina, so the day can easily be combined with exploring Mdina's medieval streets and bastions. Organised in connection with the national agriculture authorities, the feast is free and open, with a genuinely local, traditional character rather than a staged tourist show. A few practical points. The festivities are centred on Buskett Gardens and the Rabat/Mdina area, reachable by bus from Valletta, though services and traffic can be busy during the feast - allow extra time. The agricultural show and folk singing at Buskett traditionally run through the night of 28-29 June, while the parade and equine events take place over the feast; check the official L-Imnarja programme for the exact timing and route of the parade, as these are set each year. Late June is hot, so bring a hat, sun protection and water for daytime events, and something light for the evening at Buskett. The feast is free to attend. As one of the oldest feasts on the islands, L-Imnarja is woven deep into Maltese identity, and its parade of carts, cabs and carriages is a delightful, photogenic celebration of rural heritage. For travellers who want to see Malta's living traditions rather than a tourist re-enactment, it is one of the highlights of the June calendar. Check the official L-Imnarja programme for the parade's exact date, time and route before you go.

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