The first Malta Song Festival was organized by the Maltese section of the Young Christian Workers movement in 1960.
[1] On 14 November 1960 RAI TV transmitted a video coverage of the festival in its evenings news bulletin.
[2] As far back as 1960 the organizers of the festival were already planning to send the winner to the "Eurovision Song Contest".
[3] Malta's television company was not yet a member of the European Broadcasting Union, which was a requirement to participate in the contest.
The 1966 edition of this festival was held at the Alhambra Theatre in Sliema and was even recorded and transmitted by RAI TV.
[9] In the second edition of the "Malta International Song Festival" held at the Hilton Hotel in St' Julians on the 25 July 1969, David Bowie was one of the participants.
The then Malta Government Tourist Board gave its assistance to the organizers of this festival which was also held in 1975 and 1976.
Maurice Mifsud., organized the first edition of another festival L-Għanja tal-Poplu (People's Ode Song Contest).
Against all odds, L-Għanja tal-Poplu (People's Ode Song Contest) has not only managed to survive, but it has even donned a National perspective.
In 1986, the "Konkors Kanzunetta Festa San Pawl" was the first song festival ever to be held in a church in Malta.
edition of "Strummin', an annual non-competitive music show incorporating a choir a some 63 guitarists, a band and a group of singers.
Several international singers were invited to take part by singing the festival songs in the language of the foreign participants.
On 24 July 2013 a meeting was held at the Manoel Theatre in Malta where Josette Grech Hamilton, Chairperson of the newly formed Organizing Committee, announced the return, after an absence of 11 years, of the "Festival Internazzjonali Tal-Kanzunetta Maltija".
Mro Sigmund Mifsud was chosen as a conductor of a ten-piece band signifying the return of live performances to this festival.
The organising committee consisted also of Ignatius Farrugia, vice-chairperson; Deo Grech, Media Relations; Ray Falzon, Pierre Cachia and Simone Bugeja.
Apart from the 14 local singers who made it to the final, there were also 13 international guest singers who competed amongst themselves, with the group Bella Vista of (Germany) winning this section with their song " Fremd Aber Doch Vertrthe" a German version of the 1999 winning song of this festival "Sa L-Ahhar Nifs".
The joy of its return was however short-lived, because in 2014 the "Festival Internazzjonali Tal-Kanzunetta Maltija" has been sent back to limbo.
[17] The festival, under its new format, will now be organised by the committee of L-Għanja tal-Poplu (People's Ode Song Contest), Malta Arts Council, Spazju Kreattiv, and Public Broadcasting Services.
It has also the backing of Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture and the management of Pjazza Tejatru Rjal where the festival was held on 7 and 9 July 2016.
)[35] ("Rebbieħa", sung in Maltese, & "Come Se Mai" both came in the second place) (Even in 1962 two separate festivals were organized.