Bermuda Loves a Parade!

On Monday I attended the Remembrance Day Ceremonies and Parade in Hamilton.  I generally don't like parades, not even the one in Disneyland, but I definitely make an exception for Remembrance Day.  While I am not usually a fan of the parade, Bermuda is a place that love love LOVES parades.  It seems like there are a lot of them.

The first parade of the season is the Bermuda Day Parade.  Bermuda Day is a public holiday on a Monday, previously known as Victoria Day celebrating that Queen's birthday, and coincides with the Canadian May Long Weekend.  In my memory, the Bermuda Day Parade is the largest, longest, and most lively parade.  There are floats, bands, majorettes, traditional Gombey dancers, and more.  People don't just come out to watch the parade -- spectating is an active event.  One or two days before the event the most eager of the spectators to be come out to Front Street and write their name in chalk on the sidewalk where they wish to be, and chalk off the area they will need for the group of people they are claiming for.  This was very fascinating for me, not knowing why all these chalk names were showing up on the sidewalks in town.  Fortunately it doesn't rain a lot in May, so not only do the chalk outlines persist, but the parade is usually sunny and hot...sometimes really hot.  The other thing that I found amazing is the people honor these chalk claims to the prime spots.  No one steals someone spot.

Bermuda Day Parade 2009.  To me the yellow and orange clad majorettes screamed "you are in the Caribbean now!"

Early in the day the people start to arrive.  They come to the spot they claimed in advance, set up their lawn chairs, erect poles and tarps for shade, haul in their coolers of ice and drinks, set up their barbecues, and take hold for a day with friends and family watching the entertainment go by.  The less enthusiastic can weave their way through the densely packed sidewalks to get a glimpse, or hope for a spot on one of the restaurant balconies (those are usually reserved well in advance as well).  If you're lucky, someone will offer you a fresh burger from their little parade hut as you go by.

Note the crowded patios above

The parade goes on for hours.  Not a fan of the crowds, I didn't stay long enough to determine how long, but it was clearly a well loved celebration, and town stays lively long after the sun sets.

I have read that there is a Queen's Birthday Parade in June, a Labour Day Parade in September, a Christmas Parade in December, and a unique parade in April regarding the annual payment of one peppercorn from the Freemason's to the City of St.George's for rent on the old state house...something that has been going on for...297 years or so.  Where one finds a peppercorn and what happens when you plug it into an ATM...I know not.  More mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle.  All of these parades are unique in some ways, but with many familiar participants.  There are numerous children's majorettes and dance groups that perform, as well as cadets, and that alone ensures that the crowds will follow to see their sons, daughters, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews perform.

Remembrance Day is of course a much more sombre note -- the participants are the police, the regiment, cadets, and of course, the veterans are the true guests of honor.  The crowds were out this year in full force again -- although the police working security said this was the biggest crowd they had seen yet. 

Remembrance Day 2013

The bagpipes and drums always stir my soul, and this year is was the same.  But having done a bit more research on Bermuda's part in the war, I felt especially moved to see the veterans marching this year -- somehow the voluntary act of duty from a country with so few people and who the world probably had no expectation of help from touched me.  Veterans amaze me, that despite being about 80 and beyond, poise and strength are still strong and obvious within them.

The start of the troop of Bermuda War Veterans on Remembrance Day 2013

One of the parades that I find most unique, coming from my landlocked home of southern Saskatchewan, is the Christmas Boat Parade.

A Christmas Tree Boat

The Christmas Boat Parade takes place every second year on a Saturday evening, and the Boats parade through Hamilton harbour and are judged for the best decorations.  I was absolutely delighted by this!  My first Christmas here I gathered among the crowd at the harbour in the cold and damp air, wishing I had been like Cherie who knew enough to bring mittens and a toque when she moved to Bermuda.  However frozen I was, I could not get over the novelty of seeing boats in December all covered in Christmas lights on the 12th of December!  The competition is judged, although I never figured out if the criteria was based on the cheering of the crowd or a more official mechanism. I took some photos with my little point and shoot camera through the light drizzle of rain, not my best pictures but still a good memory.  There was a Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer Boat.

A boat load of presents

Bermuda has a bit of a reputation as being a have for boozehounds.  I suspect a few wobbly pops are consumed by most of the spectators and participators (not the captains of course).  In the case of one entry I wonder if they had a few too many while decorating, hence the confusion.

One kid always gets the assignment wrong

One trait of Bermuda that is well worth mentioning is the national pride for the creativity and artistry of their people, both young and old.  I suspect that had something to do with the winner of the 2009 Christmas Boat Parade.  The winning entry -- a Michael Jackson float, blasting Thriller over its sound system and the audience (well, most of the island actually the way sound carries over the island), complete with dancing zombies and a 10 foot tall Mikey with a white glove and all.  The giant Michael Jackson likeness decorated a supermarket for the rest of the holiday season.  What says Christmas more than dancing zombies on a boat? Star Wars of course...the Wookie seized the prize the next time around, in the 2011 boat parade.  I can hardly wait to see what this winner this year will be.  I am hoping for a Hunger Games theme myself...or maybe Thor.  If you are on island December 7th, be at the harbour at 6:30 to see for yourself!

Christmas Boat Parade Winner of 2009