70,000 flock to Valletta to celebrate New Year

Around 70,000 people took to the streets of Valletta to celebrate the New Year last night.

In a press statement, the Culture and Justice Ministry said that far more people attended the festivities than the 50,000 it had originally predicted.

“The government thanks the organisers for putting on such a great national event,” the ministry said.

Several local artists entertained the crowds at St George’s Square last night, including former Malta Eurovision winners Julie Zahra and Glen Vella and former Swedish idol winner Kevin Borg.

The festivities also included a display from the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, and a light show on the façade of the Grandmaster’s Palace that depicted scenes of Valletta’s history to commemorate the capital’s 450th anniversary.