The feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29th marks in important event in the calendar of Maltese popular customs and festivities. Traditionally known as "l-Imnarja", it goes back further to even before the coming of the Knights in 1530 and is essentially a country folk-festival. Following closely the hard toils of harvest time, it made a pleasant break in the dull everyday routine that made up the peasant's life in the past: - a few crowded hours of merrymaking and rustic song, amidst a yearly routine of sweat and toil working the land.
 
The name 'L-Imarja' is a corruption of Italian 'luminaria' - illumination. Meant a Festival of Light It a festival of light, recalling tile illumination of the Mdina cathedral, the city walls of the old capital, and of other rural parts with lights, as a sign of rejoicing on June 28th and 29th.

On the weekend closest to St. John's Day, celebrated on June 24th, a feast-day formerly also associated with the lighting of bonfires - it is customary to herald the holding of 'I-Imnarja' by means of a simple ceremony known as 'Il-Bandu'. The word 'Bandu' means a proclamation issued for the good order of the people and was formerly read by the town-crier, 'Il-Banditore', who announced its contents at certain specified places of the old city.
 
This custom was revived, with certain changes, some years ago on the initiative of the 'Casino Notabile' and of the local Agrarian Society who also organise the yearly Agricultural Show held on the eve of the feast, and the morning, of June 29th at Buskett Gardens.
 
Nowadays, the 'Bandu' procession starts from the Mdina Town Hall, known as the 'Banca Giuratale', with a number of "boy scouts', preceded by flute and drum and accompanied by members of the Organising Committee, who carry and display the 'palji', or prizes, that are distributed after tile horse races on June 29th.

On the eve of the feast the scene shifts to Buskett Gardens, a wooded Park in the outskirts of Rabat. Here the cries of food and drink vendors mingle with the boisterous crowd. By this time the Agricultural Show would have been blessed and declared open and visitors flock to watch the display of animals, vegetables, fruits, poultry, honey, local and many other exhibits.
 
As the shades of evening fall slowly on the enchanting valley surmounted by Verdala Castle country-folk and other merrymakers seek out trees where they intend to spend the night beneath a flurry of leafy branches.
 
Even today, from all parts of Malta, people still make their way  to  Buskett,  where the scene is set for a feast of song and  food  beneath  the  trees. The appetising smell of

On the afternoon of the 29th the 'Imnarja' festivities reach their climax with the traditional horse and donkey races held in the vicinity of Mdina. Long before the appointed time the' racecourse is lined with throngs of people who defy the scorching rays of the June sun to get a good view of the races.
 
A characteristic of traditional horse races in Malta is that animals are ridden bare-backed, the jockeys gripping their mount with the knees and urging on the beasts with short sticks in either hand. In the 17th and 18th centuries these races generally, comprised seven events i.e. races for boys, negro slaves, men, donkeys, mules, mares and horses. With the  abolition  of  slavery by Napoleon in 1798 the event for