Bermuda Day
{{Short description|Public holiday in Bermuda}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2016}}
Bermuda Day is a public holiday in the islands of Bermuda. It is celebrated on the Fourth Friday in May.{{Cite web |title=Public Holidays Act 1947 - Public Holidays Act 1947.pdf |url=http://www.bermudalaws.bm/laws/Consolidated%20Laws/Public%20Holidays%20Act%201947.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822112716/http://www.bermudalaws.bm/laws/Consolidated%20Laws/Public%20Holidays%20Act%201947.pdf |archive-date=2023-08-22 |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=Bermuda Laws Online |publisher=The Government of Bermuda}}{{Cite web |title=Bermuda Day – Department of Culture |url=https://culture.bm/events/bermuda-day/ |access-date=2023-08-22 |language=en-US}}
Bermuda Day is traditionally the first day of the year that residents will go into the sea {{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}. It is also traditionally the first day on which Bermuda shorts are worn as business attire {{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} (although in recent years {{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}, Bermuda shorts are increasingly worn at any time of the year) {{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}. Many people also see Bermuda Day as the first day on which they can go out on the water after the winter {{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} — consequently there is always a rush to get one's boat 'in de water' before Bermuda Day {{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}.
To celebrate the holiday, there is a parade in Hamilton, Bermuda, and a road race from the west end of the island into Hamilton. For the first time, in 2015, the race started from St George's and into Hamilton. These events are popular with spectators {{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}, and residents are known to stake out particular sections of the pavements to enable them to watch the runners and the floats {{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}. Ways of marking out one's family's section can include roping it off (frowned on as people have been hurt walking into them the night before), marking it off with tape with one's name on it, or sleeping there overnight.{{cite web|url=http://bernews.com/2010/05/requests-about-camps-not-working-too-well |title=Requests About Camps Not Working Too Well |website=Bernews.com |date=2010-05-24 |accessdate=2016-05-19}}
History
The parade first took place in 1979.{{Cite web |title=Heritage Month – Department of Culture |url=https://culture.bm/events/heritage-month/ |access-date=2023-08-22 |language=en-US}} It traditionally was on the 24th of May or the following Monday, if it fell on a weekend.{{Cite web |title=Public Holidays Act 1947 |url=http://www.bermudalaws.bm/laws/Consolidated%20Laws/Public%20Holidays%20Act%201947.pdf |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304190030/http://www.bermudalaws.bm/Laws/Consolidated%20Laws/Public%20Holidays%20Act%201947.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-04 |website=Bermuda Laws Online |publisher=The Government of Bermuda}} In November 2017 the law was changed to move it to the last Friday in May, starting 2018.{{Cite web |title=Public Holidays Act 1947 |url=http://www.bermudalaws.bm/laws/Consolidated%20Laws/Public%20Holidays%20Act%201947.pdf |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501005035/http://www.bermudalaws.bm/laws/Consolidated%20Laws/Public%20Holidays%20Act%201947.pdf |archive-date=2018-05-01 |website=Bermuda Laws Online |publisher=The Government of Bermuda}}{{Cite web |title=Bermuda-Day-Book-May-2019.pdf |url=https://cloudfront.bernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Bermuda-Day-Book-May-2019.pdf |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=Bernews}}{{Cite web |date=2017-12-07 |title=Senate Passes Bill To Move Bermuda Day |url=https://bernews.com/2017/12/senate-passes-bill-to-move-bermuda-day-holiday/ |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=Bernews}} It therefore took place on the 25th of May 2018.{{Cite web |last=McWhirter |first=Fiona |date=2018-12-28 |title=Bermuda Day change throws calendars off |url=https://www.royalgazette.com/other/news/article/20181228/bermuda-day-change-throws-calendars-off/ |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=www.royalgazette.com |language=en-US}} In December of 2018 the Governor announced that in 2019 it shall not take place on the 31st of May, as it was announced at the beginning, but rather it shall take place one week earlier on Friday, 24th of May 2019, the historic date.{{Cite web |last=McWhirter |first=Fiona |date=2018-12-22 |title='May 24th' will be on May 24 |url=https://www.royalgazette.com/other/news/article/20181222/may-24th-will-be-on-may-24/ |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=www.royalgazette.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2019-05-27 |title=Photo Set #4: 2019 Bermuda Day Heritage Parade |url=https://bernews.com/2019/05/photo-set-4-bermuda-day-heritage-parade/ |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=Bernews}} The law was then again changed in 2020, that starting 2021 it shall be scheduled the way it is now.
References
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