Nadur carnival cancelled, council warns against group gatherings

The Nadur council has cancelled carnival activities in the locality and warned it will report those gathering in groups to the police.

The Nadur carnival is spontanous and every year revellers turn up in costumes swarming the streets of the Gozitan hilltop village to make merry, drink and socialise.

“Since carnival in Nadur is also spontaneous, the local council insists that nobody should use this as an excuse to meet or gather in groups in Nadur, and the council is committed that if necessary, it will report to the police to ensure that order is kept and that no law or health authority directive is broken,” the council said in a statement.

It said the council would not hand out permits to any entity or group to organise any type of mass activity during carnival. “This is a time in which we should be extra vigilant, in the hope that we will duly celebrate next year’s carnival,” the council said.

The Nadur council had to cancel other mass events last year because of the pandemic.

“The Nadur local council speaks as one and believes that the priority should be health. We will not organise any mass event such as carnival. Any rumours that some kind of carnival celebration in Nadur will take place are all unfounded,” it said.

Carnival activities in Malta have also been cancelled. Group gatherings of more than six people in public remain banned as part of COVID restrictions and bars and restaurants have to close by 11pm.

COVID-19 cases have surged as a result of private gatherings that took place over the Christmas holidays.

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