Maltese Nights at Valletta Waterfront, every Thursday

Head down to the water’s edge at the Grand Harbour on a Thursday evening from 7:30pm for a snapshot of Maltese folklore. You can enjoy dinner al fresco while watching traditional Maltese folk dancing, falconry displays and participate in local games. Listen to some old tunes played by the terramaxka, a 19th century musical instrument which was a mainstay of Maltese festas, carnival and everyday life in the days before radio. And it’s all set against the magnificent backdrop of a row of 250-year-old warehouses built in the time of Grandmaster Pinto. All events are free. 

Valletta and the Dominicans: A Common Journey, daily till 7th October

The Dominicans were instrumental in the construction of Valletta after the Great Siege of 1565. It was the Dominican Pope St Pius V who became the main benefactor of the city, sending 30,000 silver florins and his engineer Francesco Laparelli to kick start the building of the new capital. The Dominicans would cross Grand Harbour from their convent in Vittoriosa (Birgu) every day for two years to assist the 4,000 workers constructing the bastions. In 1571, the Dominican community established itself permanently in Valletta and has remained a key element of the city. The exhibition explores the Dominican mission in Valletta highlighting the rich historical, socio-cultural and artistic legacy left by the Dominican Order as reflected in the development of Valletta. Open daily at the Dominican Priory, St Dominic Street, from 10am to 4pm. Admission free. 

Mediterranean, Latin & Jazz music at Caffe Cordina, Wednesdays and Thursdays

A post shared by Caffe Cordina (@caffecordina) on Jul 13, 2018 at 4:18am PDT

Let the rhythm move you every Wednesday night at the iconic Caffe Cordina on Republic Street as some of Malta’s finest musicians strike up the band from 8pm with some cool Mediterranean and Latin tunes perfect for a balmy summer night. And the music continues every Thursday evening with the weekly Jazz Nights starring a five-piece band. No tickets necessary - just turn up and enjoy the music!

Malta Pride 2018 Parade & Celebration, 15th September 

A post shared by Malta Pride (@maltapride) on Jul 15, 2018 at 12:24am PDT

Malta is already gaining a reputation for being one of the best LGBTIQ destinations in the world, and the annual Pride parade has been attracting record crowds. This year’s celebration is expected to be even bigger than ever. A week of activities across the Maltese Islands starting in Gozo culminate in the big Pride March and Concert on Saturday 15th September at Triton Square in Valletta at 4pm. This year’s event will have as its main theme Pride at the Heart of the Mediterranean, celebrating the fact that Malta has obtained the top place on ILGA Europe’s Rainbow Map for LGBTQ Equality Rights.

Modern Music Days, 15th September

Part of the Valletta 2018 Cultural Programme, Modern Music Days is committed to promote the performance and understanding of 20th century repertoire and contemporary music in Malta. The programme combines music with video-art and dance for an interdisciplinary performance that is accessible to all audiences. The concert features an entertaining selection of works for percussion trio by Nebojsa Zivkovic, Charles Camilleri and the Pulse Percussion Trio, as well as compositions for piano and video by Michel van der Aa and Ruben Zahra. The grand finale of the programme will be excerpts from the ballet Parade, featuring the music of Erik Satie, which is scored to a one-act scenario by Jean Cocteau with costumes inspired by Pablo Picasso. The concert is being held at the Valletta Campus Theatre as part of Evenings on Campus and begins at 9pm.