Saint Mary's Band Club was officially founded in 1873 under the name of Circolo La Stella. Despite this, the first groups of people to organise the outdoor festivities of the Assumption of Our Lady at Għaxaq date back to 1808 when Giovanni Maria Farrugia ordered the artistic statue of Saint Mary from the renowned Maltese sculptor Mariano Gerada to be used during the devotional procession on the 1
5th August. At first, the statue used to be held at Gio.Maria Farrugia's house at Saint Mary Street and a procession used to take place annually on the 9th August from his house to the Parish Church. During the same period, it is documented that a group of Għaxaq people used to decorate the Parish Church are with colourful ribbons and oil lamps. After 1873, the outdoor celebrations during the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady took a new dimension with the introduction of new street decorations by renowned artists such as Vincenzo Maria Cremona, Decelis, Gatt and Carmelo Mallia "Il-Lhudi". Fireworks also made a huge part of the feast of the Assumption at Għaxaq, with the St.Mary Fireworks Team winning a large number of local and international fireworks competitions. The annual pyro-musical show and mechanised ground fireworks show held on the 14th of August annually is called "THE CONVOY", named after the Santa Maria Convoy which entered Malta during the last period of World War II. A brass and woodwind band was also formed in 1935 and along the years, it took part in various National and International events, such as the Indipendence Day Celebrations in 1964. The Band also offers free musical instrument tuition to all interested and organises its annual concert on the 11th August. In 1987, a Women's Committee was formed and later in 1993 a Youth Section was also formed. These two sections offer invaluable help in the organisation and activities by the Central Committee all year round. A Decorations Section also forms part of the Club and takes care of all street decorations which most of it dates back to over 125 years. Saint Mary's Band Club (with a the help of a large number of Sponsors) is also the mastermind behing the annual Għaxaq Music Festival which was the first musci festival of the kind in Malta. In this festival various local and international singers, tribute bands and musicians take part.
