#Bermuda Heritage Day Parade – May 24, 2011

Bermuda’s Heritage Day Parade highlights featuring gombey’s, majorettes, dancers, and more. (Qianemon Video Production)

The first Bermuda Day in 1909 marked the celebration of Queen Empress Victoria’s birthday. In England, May 24th was first known as “Empire Day” but, with the gradual shift away from Imperialism, later on became known as “Commonwealth Day”.

After the traumatic social and civil unrest of the 1970s in the isles, “Bermuda Day” was suggested as a new event name in order to ease the explosive situation among Bermudians by creating a sense of national pride and unity.

Bermuda Day (now “Heritage Day”) also includes the 13 mile Marathon Half Derby from Somerset to Hamilton.

Bermuda Fitted Dinghy Racing begins its annual season on this day also.