This year’s Festa Ċitru will take place on Sunday, 18 January, once again offering families the opportunity to purchase citrus fruit harvested from the historic gardens of San Anton Palace, the Office of the President announced on Friday.
Details about this year’s event, which is being held in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund, were announced during an activity addressed by Her Excellency Myriam Spiteri Debono, in the presence of children from Tumas Dingli Primary School in Ħ’Attard, part of St Nicholas College, and St Elmo Primary School in Valletta, part of St George Preca College.
During the activity, the children helped pack citrus fruit into bags. They were also offered freshly squeezed orange juice, sampled some citrus-based products, and were given fruit to take home.
This year’s event will open at 9:00 a.m. and continue until the afternoon. The public will be able to enjoy entertainment while visiting various stalls and purchasing citrus fruit, including lemons, oranges, and mandarins, among others. There will also be cakes, jams, sweets, and other products made by the chefs from the San Anton Palace kitchens, as well as other exhibitors selling traditional and artisanal products.
At 9:30 a.m., Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna will celebrate Mass in the historic chapel of San Anton Palace: the 19th-century Russian Chapel. This Mass will be open to the public as part of Festa Ċitru.
This year, Festa Ċitru will also offer a unique opportunity for families to visit the state rooms of San Anton Palace, the official residence of the President of Malta. Throughout the day, until early afternoon, attendees will be able to take part in guided tours of the Palace, receiving historical information about the building and the work carried out from within it.
Festa Ċitru is the first event of the year in the calendar of activities in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund, with all those attending contributing towards the MCCF’s ongoing mission of providing assistance in various situations where help is needed.
