Honouring Our Roots: Bermuda Heritage Month Activity Day
This month, we are celebrating Bermuda Heritage Month! We’re excited to welcome several local legends to our Bermuda Heritage Month Activity Day on May 22. Primary students will rotate through cultural stations and enjoy traditional Bermuda games, while Children’s House students will join in the fun with classic island favourites of their own.
The Origins of Heritage Month and Bermuda Day
Civil unrest in the 1960s and 70s led the Bermuda Government to commission the Pitt Report, published in 1978. The report highlighted the island’s racial and social tensions and included public feedback recommending a unifying celebration to build national pride.
The idea of a parade—similar to the Easter Parade of the 1930s to 60s—was proposed. Farmers once timed their flowers to bloom in time for Easter, adding vibrant colour to the event. The Pitt Report also pointed to the popular May 24 half-marathon as an example of community spirit. These ideas inspired the creation of Bermuda Day, replacing Empire Day, a holiday that marked Queen Victoria’s birthday.
The first Bermuda Day Parade took place in 1979. Traditionally observed on or near May 24, the date shifted in 2018 to the last Friday in May, and in 2019 to the fourth Friday. In 2024, the parade will again fall on May 24.
It soon became clear that one day was not enough to honour the island’s rich culture. Heritage Week was introduced, eventually expanding into Heritage Month by the mid-1980s. Today, May is filled with events celebrating Bermuda’s heritage and traditions.
Bermuda Day is the grand finale—an expression of national pride. Whether running the half-marathon, jumping into the ocean for the first swim of the year, or dancing behind the Gombeys, Bermudians celebrate all that makes the island unique.
Heritage Month 2025 Theme: The Future is Now
Check out some upcoming Heritage Month Events across the island (full list here):
SATURDAY, MAY 03
Freedom’s Steps - Gombey Unity March
Location: Bull’s Head Park
Time: 7:30 PM
Cost: Free
In honour of those before us, we will take to the streets and march in their honour.
THURSDAY, MAY 08-10 & WEDNESDAY, MAY 14-17
Famous for 15 Minutes 2025 – 19th Annual Playwriting Festival
Location: Daylesford Theater
Time: 8:00 PM
This is a series of six 15-minute plays written by local playwrights (featuring Somersfield Staff Maya Richardson & Allie Zuckerman). For more details, visit ptix.bm
FRIDAY, MAY 09 & SATURDAY, MAY 10
Relay for Life of Bermuda: Garden of Light
Location: National Sports Centre
For more details, visit cancer.bm
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 21 & 28
Harbour Nights
Location: Front Street, Hamilton
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Cost: Free
The street comes alive with local vendors and music each Wednesday night. For more information, visit bermudachamber.bm
THURSDAY, MAY 15
Lost Links: Uncovering Bermuda’s Native American Connections through Archaeology with Xander Cook
Location: 2nd Floor, Bermuda National Library
Time: 6:00 PM
Cost: Free
For more details, visit culture.bm
FRIDAY, MAY 16
Painting with Fabric
Location: Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art
Time: 5:30 PM
For more details, visit masterworksbermuda.org
SUNDAY, MAY 18
Court Street Market
Location: Court Street
Time: 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
For more details, visit Court Street Market on Facebook.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21
Spring into the Arts: Expression from our heARTS
Location: Ruth Seaton James Auditorium
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Cost: $5
Featuring performances from the East Family of Schools, For more details, visit gpass.bm
THURSDAY, MAY 22
Somersfield Academy’s Bermuda Heritage Month Activity Day
Location: Somersfield Academy
Children’s House and Primary will be celebrating in the similar fashion as years gone by, with a Bermuda Day Marathon simulation, games, crafts, storytelling and other fun activities throughout the day.
FRIDAY, MAY 23
Bermuda Day Parade – ‘The Future is Now’
Location: Hamilton, Bermuda
Time: 1:30 PM
For more details, visit culture.bm
Bermuda Half Marathon Derby & Relay
Location: Start: St George’s | Finish: Court Street
Time: 8:30 AM
For more details, visit bermudamarathon.bm
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28
The Future is Now! Find Your Story & Bring Your Family Story to Life by Starting a Scrapbook
Location: Bermuda Archives
Time: 12:30 PM
For more details, visit bnl.bm
SATURDAYS IN MAY
Heritage Month Yoga Series Sponsored by the Department of Culture
Location: Makerspace, Cedarbridge Academy
Time: 11:00 AM
Cost: Free
For more details, visit the Bermudaful Centre for Mindfulness at bermudaful.org
ALL MAY
City Art Tour
Location: City of Hamilton
Time: Self-Guided Art Tour
Cost: Free
Collect the official City Art Tour map from City Hall reception and take this free, self-guided tour
Discover Globe Museum
Location: 1 King’s Square, St. George’s
Time: 10AM – 3PM
Cost: Adults $5, Youth $2 (under 5 Free),
BNT members: Free
For more details, visit bnt.bm
Bermuda in the Style of Andy Warhol, School Mural Display
Location: Completed murals will be on view lining Pitts Bay Road at the construction site of Luscar Place. 17 Schools across the island will be creating murals in response to this theme. Curated by the Bermuda National Gallery. For more details, visit bng.bm
Mediations on Form an exhibition by Melanie Eddy
Location: Bermuda National Gallery
Cost: Free Admission made possible by the Christian Humann Foundation
For more details, visit bng.bm