Official activities started early In the morning when Emeritus Bishop, Mons Nikol G. Cauchi, led a concelebrated Mass and intone the Te Deum. At 5.15pm, the St Joseph Band performed a short march from Cordina Street to the main square. Vigar Mons Giovanni. B. Gauci led the Pontifical Translation of the relic followed by singing of the solemn vespers and Mass.

At 9.00pm Nadur's Mnarja Band played a marches from Garden Street ending in the Main Square where they later performed a musical programme. At the same time, hundreds of enthusiastic youngsters started to assemble in Hamri Street waiting for the St Joseph Band and Victoria's 'Banda La Stella' to arrive for the traditional ''Marc ta' lejlet il-festa".

For the second consecutive year, several ground-fireworks were displayed along Hamri Street as rain of confetti and papers thrown from private roofs never stopped. At midnight, the St Joseph Band arrived in the main square where the young revellers continued to dance, chant and drink together. To their delight and applause, several fire-planes simultaneously crossed the main square from four different locations among the chanting of 'Viva x-Xemx'. A gigantic 'spider-web' filled with thousands of balloons covered the whole square. Just a few minutes before the St Joseph Band stopped playing, a large balloon exploded filling the square with thousands of small confetti.

The dark summer night was literally lit up when a spectacular pyrotechnic ground-firework display accompanied by relaxing music ended this fantastic evening. A novelty for this year were the sky lanterns. Eighty candle-lit lanterns  were released  in the air from the Band Club premises. Each lantern marked a year, hence the 80th Anniversary. (see pictures page 15).

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