Bermuda Day

What is Bermuda Day?
Bermuda Day, widely considered the first day of summer, is now celebrated on the fourth Friday in May. Locals line the streets to enjoy a vibrant celebration beginning with a half-marathon derby followed by a colourful parade winding through Hamilton full of music, culture, and patriotic pride. The first Bermuda Day Parade was held in 1979 and remains a steadfast celebration featuring dance groups, bands, majorettes, decorated floats, and Gombey troupes. Traditional floats harken back to the Easter Parade using natural materials, while new categories have been introduced to highlight modern art and the creative ingenuity of Bermudian float-builders. The competition between floats is fierce, as they compete for prizes in a variety of categories. Hundreds of people dance in the streets as the enticing Gombey rhythm carries them forward, united as Bermuda.

Bermuda Day is the culminating event of Heritage Month. For more information on the history of Bermuda Day, Heritage Month, and other Heritage Month events, click here.

Bermuda Day 2024 Theme: Culture = Energy
Friday, May 24, 2024

The nature of culture is that it continues to evolve and grow, and Bermudian people infuse ours with excitement. We seamlessly blend our roots with new traditions, and add cultural elements to everyday life. Our ability to generate this endless cultural energy is why at a sports event, part of the excitement is in the spectators fashions, the intricacy of a camp set-up. It is why when our athletes compete in sports internationally, the whole island stops and becomes heated experts at the rules, no matter how new to us. We are fiercely proud of our teams – whether that be Cup Match, football, or “Cunny” Games – and show the same level of enthusiasm when we see majorettes, dancers, and hear the rumble of the Gombey drums. No matter how heated the community banter grows over the best goal, the nicest dive off peak, the cleanest shank dank there is a common dream we all share that imagines a Bermuda of possibilities, a land of endless opportunities to be better.There is something about the Bermudian culture that urges you to leap to your feet and cheer, dance, and bring the energy – so grab your airhorns, it’s Heritage Month! Bermp bermp!

Bermuda Day Parade 2024 Entry:
Please read the below documents carefully as categories have been added and updated. All applications are due on Friday, April 19, 2024.  If you have any questions about the below documents, please feel free to contact the Department of Culture for more information.

Bermuda Day Fund:
Sponsors interested in helping to offset costs for parade participants will be able to donate to the Bermuda Day Fund. The Bermuda Community Foundation will serve as the fund manager; and parade participants will receive, depending on their budgets, a maximum of $2,500 toward their participation expenses including costumes, truck rentals, and float building materials. Although this support will in no way cover the entire amount of financing required for many groups to participate, it will help to defray costs and give a much-needed boost to these charities and community groups that put in so much work and effort to make the Bermuda Day holiday special for us all. For those interested in donating, view the full details here.

For parade participants looking to apply for funds, please ensure that a regular parade application form has been filled in. Funding support applications are due on April 19, 2024 and can be completed here.

Bermuda Day Parade 2024 Route:
Parade will begin on Front Street in front of the Point House/Albuoy’s Point area and continue along Front Street. The parade then turns left onto Court Street, takes a left onto Church Street, a right along Cedar Avenue, and ends at Marsh Folly Road/Dutton Avenue junction.

Vendors selling food will be throughout the route and announced closer to the time. Application for food vendors are now closed, thank you.

Bermuda Day 2024 Booklet:
Please check back closer to the date for the Bermuda Day 2024 Booklet (PDF) with times, entries, and full details!