Xewkija festa 2026 is on Sun 21 Jun, the feast of St John the Baptist.
Sunday, 21 June 2026, Xewkija parish
Xewkija on Gozo has one feast in the 2026 church calendar: St John the Baptist on Sunday, 21 June 2026.
The biggest one is the feast of St John the Baptist, run by the Xewkija parish.
The 2027 date comes when the Archdiocese publishes it. Most feasts move to a Sunday that suits the parish, so we do not guess.
A festa is a village party for the saint of the parish church. The church is lit up with thousands of bulbs and the streets are hung with flags and statues.
The days before the feast are full of band marches. On the eve there are often fireworks. On the day itself the statue of the saint is carried through the streets.
Anyone can go. It is free, it goes on late, and there is usually a stall selling nougat and hot snacks. Wear comfortable shoes and expect crowds near the church in Xewkija.
Coming from Malta? Take the ferry from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr, then a bus or a taxi to Xewkija. Plan the last ferry back before the night gets going.
Fireworks are loud, so small children and dogs may not enjoy them. To go inside the church, cover your shoulders and knees.
Times change from year to year. The parish office and the local band club share the full programme a few weeks before the feast.
Parish church: The Rotunda, St John the Baptist
Xewkija's church is the Rotunda, dedicated to St John the Baptist. The parish says the saint's day is 24 June and the festa is kept on the nearest Sunday. Through the week the celebrations are inside the Rotunda, building up to the Triduum, then the translation of the relic on the eve, and on the day the singing of the antiphon Ingresso Zaccharia.
In the evenings the marches go through a different part of the village each night, with fireworks and the Prekursur band. The titular statue of St John was carved by Pietro Paolo Azzopardi in 1845.
The Rotunda's dome can be seen from most of Gozo, so the village is easy to find. It is a few minutes from the Mġarr ferry by bus or taxi. The square in front of the church is where the procession returns.
Sources: Xewkija parish, the feast.
Xewkija has no weekly market of its own, but one is a short drive away.
One local business is listed in Xewkija, by trade: sweets & confectionery (1).
Towns close to Xewkija have their own feasts in the same month.
More local shops and makers a short trip from Xewkija, nearest first.
Every festa, market and event we know about, sorted by date. See what's on in Malta and Gozo
Dates from the Archdiocese of Malta feasts calendar for 2026, checked on Thursday, 24 September 2026. Parishes sometimes change plans, so check with the parish before you travel.
