Bah, what's up? Oh, we're centre stage for once? Dingli Agricultural Fair
Had-Dingli, on Malta’s west coast, is holding a sheep and goat fair this Sunday, 25th April, on Dingli Cliffs in front of the small chapel of St Magdalena. For the early birds, it starts at the rise-and-shine hour of 7am but luckily runs most of the day for those of us who like a lie-in.
I have to admit, Sheep & Goat Fair was last year’s title. Strictly speaking, it’s billed this year as a ‘Traditional Agricultural Fair’ (Hidma Agrarja u Tradizzjanijiet), which means it has widened in scope to be a showcase of the agricultural life of the area, past and present. It will include a range of country displays, competitions, wine and food tastings, folk dancing, horse-drawn Karozzin rides, stalls, and fun and games, in addition to the goats and sheep.
There’s no place better than Dingli Cliffs to see these shaggy, mixed breed sheep and goats. It’s one of the few places you will see still these animals of indeterminate, but so useful a breed ambling along, plucking at weeds, shepherd somewhere alongside. It’s a real treat to come across them – a picture postcard shot of country life on our urban islands.
Sunday’s programme has plenty on it to while away a couple of hours and always plenty to engage the kids. I am sure there’ll be eats around, and not all Ġbejniet goats’ cheeselets either!
Fair Programme
From 7am-11am
Goat and Sheep Display
Milk competition with demonstration of how fresh cheeselets are made
Sheep milking demo
From 11am
Mass in front of the Chapel on the cliffs
During the Whole Day
Cultural and Ecological walks (worth noting that so-called Clapham Junction prehistoric ‘cart ruts’ are neaby, as is Buskett Gardens)
Rides in Karozzin – traditional horse drawn carriages
Wine Competition
Display of fresh fruit and vegetables
Traditional music, dancing and Ghana (Maltese folk singing)
Traditional games for children and adults
Various exhibitions of:
– Old-fashioned shepherds’ tools
– Maltese handicrafts
Displays by Dingli Scouts and Girl Guides
Related Posts
More info on Ghana, here (next Ghanafest, 4-6 June, 2010, Argotti Gardens. See What’s On for details.)
A lovely story about Maltese goats & yesteryear, click here
Agricultural Fair, Siggiewi (early June). Click here for what to expect. We will update once we have this year’s dates.
Photo: courtesy of Anne Muscat Scerri, Cloudberry Images.