Celebration. Wild jubilation. Overall feelings of camaraderie and fellowship possibly never felt on the island since before the Coronavirus pandemic two years ago.
These feelings and many more emerged from Bermudians and tourists alike throughout the Heroes’ Day Carnival Weekend, which just concluded today.
Island-wide parties and concerts returned with a bang after a two-year hiatus due to COVID and under brand-new management. After BHW Ltd., who had organized the Carnival celebrations from its 2015 inception until 2019, announced earlier in the year that they would not host any Carnival events this year, Bermuda Mas Band Association quickly took the reins to provide a weekend of fun from east to west, land and sea.
The first Carnival event for the weekend was held before the weekend officially began, at Fort Hamilton on Thursday night, the Evolve festival at majestic Fort Hamilton. The next two events proved that time is of no matter when fun is in store; as Oasis, held at Barr’s Bay Park, began at 5 a.m. on Friday and Saturday’s Swizzle at Sunrise party began at 3 a.m at the Arboretum.
Hundreds of excited spectators gathered into the Arboretum, where internationally-known Jamaican dancehall artist Elephant Man pumped up the crowd with some of his old hits as well as some new, never-before-heard songs.
Unfortunately, not all was fun and games on Saturday morning, however, as a young man was taken to the hospital for head and facial injuries after an altercation with multiple people near the Arboretum parking lot around 4:15 am. As of 7:30 this evening, the young man is still hospitalized and the condition of his injuries are not known at this time.
The party continued on the sea, where a raft-up party was held in and around Mangrove Bay. Partygoers danced to music on their charter, privately owned or rented boats until early evening, when Carnival festivities were brought back to the mainland.
A few beaches throughout the island; Snorkel Park in Dockyard, Chaplin Bay on South Shore in Warwick and Clearwater Beach on the east end of the island, hosted big beach parties. No matter where they were on the island, residents and tourists could take part in beach-side fun.
People who did not care for hanging out in the sea or getting sand in their swimsuits did not have to worry either, as the always-popular White and Glow parties were held on Sunday night, at the National Sports Center and Queen Elizabeth ( Par La Ville) Park respectively.
But the many parties throughout the weekend were nothing in size and scope, compared to today’s two events. Despite taking place in roughly the same area, the two could not be more different.
The first parade, J’Ouvert AM, began in the dark of night, 3 a.m., at Bernard’s Park. Just before the crack of dawn, participants, most of whom wore white JAM tee shirts covered in paint and colorful powder, burst through the steel fence at the top of Dutton Avenue and jammed to Soca/Reggae music while strutting down Marsh Folly.
After about twenty minutes, the sun became much more set in the sky, foreshadowing the beautiful Heroes’ Day that lay ahead.
As if things could not get more crazy, on their way back down to Bernard’s Park, jubilant participants got sprayed by a giant hose for over ten minutes. If they were not fully awake before that point, the water surely gave them the kick that they needed to carry on.
As usual, the final event of Carnival Weekend was Carnival and, just like other years, it did not disappoint. This year’s Carnival was entitled “ Revel de Road.” Ladies were back in their eye-popping colorful feathered and glittered outfits that may have taken days or even weeks to put together. Hundreds of participants departed from Devonshire Recreation Club at around 11 a.m.
The carnival route passed through Parson’s Road, what is known by many as “back-of-town,” where TNN’s own Trevor Lindsay grew up. TNN spoke with Roddy Burchall, who said that Heroes’ Day/Carnival weekend is an exciting time for everyone on the island, and that if he were just a few years younger, he would be participating in the carnival himself.
“ For those who are participating and those just watching, it just feels good to be out [again],” Mr. Burchall said. “ I couldn’t believe that they are going through Parson’s Road. They’re certainly in ‘the hood’.”
Overall, Carnival/ Heroes’ Day Weekend was enjoyed by thousands of people across the island and organizers cannot wait to do the same thing even bigger and more fantastic and colorful next year.
Any content which is considered unsuitable, unlawful, or offensive, includes personal details, advertises or promotes products, services or websites, or repeats previous comments will be removed.
User comments posted on this website are solely the views and opinions of the comment writer and are not a representation of or reflection of the opinions of TNN or its staff.
TNN reserves the right to remove, edit or censor any comments.
TNN accepts no liability and will not be held accountable for the comments made by users.
Story courtesy of TNN Reporter Stefano Ausenda