Bermuda is a beautiful island with lots more to offer visitors than just stunning views. With a vibrant local culture and a busy calendar of Bermuda holidays and events to match, there's always something to do here, no matter what time of year you’re visiting.
- Restaurant Weeks
- Bermuda Triangle Challenge Marathon
- Valentine’s Day
- Good Friday and Easter
- Agricultural Exhibition
- Harbour Nights
- Peppercorn Ceremony
- Bermuda Day
- National Heroes Day
- Bermuda Carnival
- Emancipation Day, Mary Prince Day and Cricket World Cup
- Labour Day
- Remembrance Day
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
Restaurant Weeks
When: Second week of January
Where: Across Bermuda
Sip on a Rum Swizzle - the cocktail of choice on the island - and enjoy a taste of Bermudian culture during Restaurant Weeks. Take your tastebuds on a journey and indulge in the culinary delights Bermuda has to offer.
During Restaurant Weeks, many local eateries and food hotspots give you the chance to experience the finest cuisine on the island for less, offering pre-set meal menus for a reduced price. Many restaurants on the island get involved, so there are plenty of choices.
The dates differ slightly each year, but Restaurant Weeks usually run from the second week in January to the first or second week in February.
Bermuda Triangle Challenge Marathon
When: Second or third weekend of January
Where: Across Bermuda
This is the perfect weekend for visitors who love running. The challenge has been attracting runners from across the world for over 45 years and includes a race a day over the three days of the weekend.
On the Friday night as the weekend starts, The Front Street Mile is a popular race to get involved in and signifies the start of the challenge for many of the participants!
You can run, jog or walk during this challenge. Whether you’re joining for pleasure, competition or to fundraise for a worthy cause, we’re sure you’ll love this marathon challenge set to the stunning backdrop of this beautiful island.
Valentine’s Day
When: 14th February
Where: International holiday
What could be more romantic than spending Valentine’s Day in a sun-soaked paradise with the one you love? Bermuda offers a perfect romantic environment with many local restaurants, hotels and stores celebrating the occasion with Valentine’s events and offers.
It is worth noting that while the occasion is observed across the country, Bermudians don’t get any time off work to enjoy Valentine’s Day with their partner - unless of course they plan ahead and book the day off to indulge their romantic side!
Want to surprise your other half with a Valentine’s Bermuda getaway? Read about the Best Romantic Resorts & Hotels in Bermuda for Couples to make your stay memorable.
Good Friday and Easter Sunday
When: March/April
Where: International Holiday
A nationally-observed holiday, Bermudians have several unique traditions to mark this Christian celebration. As well as attending Church on Good Friday, many families spend time flying Bermuda kites, enjoying cod cakes or English hot cross buns and spending quality time together. Many beaches, such as Horseshoe Bay, host kite flying events annually.
These celebrations continue into Easter Sunday, which isn't classed as its own individual Bermuda holiday, but a continuation of Good Friday. Church services, eating the local traditional foods associated with the holiday and focusing on family time are how most locals celebrate.
Bermuda does not observe Easter Monday as a holiday.
Agricultural Exhibition
When: April
Where: Botanical Gardens, Paget Parish
See the beautiful and diverse range of flowers and plant life that Bermuda has to offer with this annual, three-day agricultural exhibition.
Featuring displays from local schools, equestrian programs, animal exhibitions and floral shows, this is perfect for nature lovers of all ages.
Harbor Nights
When: April through September
Where: City of Hamilton
An annual event that occurs every Wednesday evening from April through September, Harbor Nights sees local crafters and artisans throw a summer street party. See the fantastic art, watch or even join in with the traditional dancing and taste local delights as the City of Hamilton’s streets are flooded with local creatives and color.
The end of the evenings is signaled with a ‘Beat the Retreat’ ceremony held by the Royal Bermuda Regiment.
Peppercorn Ceremony
When: April
Where: King’s Square, St George
Step into history and see life in Bermuda during colonial times unfold before your eyes at the annual Peppercorn Ceremony. Dignitaries attend in full historic garb as a Town Crier, horse-drawn carriages and a military band take over the streets of St. George in a period parade.
The Peppercorn Ceremony celebrates the time almost two centuries ago that a single peppercorn was exchanged for the rent of a former Old State House in St George, which was left abandoned when Bermuda’s capital changed location to Hamilton.
The Ceremony is a one-day celebration and always falls on the Wednesday closest to St George’s Day.
Bermuda Day
When: Last Friday of May
Where: Across Bermuda
Traditionally, Bermuda Day is the first day of the year that Bermuda shorts can be worn as business attire.
The day was originally called Victoria Day, then Empire Day before finally being dubbed Bermuda Day. Sporting events such as half-marathons and dinghy races dominate Bermuda Day’s mornings with a cultural Bermuda Day parade in the afternoon that takes over the streets of the island’s capital, Hamilton.
National Heroes Day
When: Third Monday in June
Where: Hamilton
Celebrate the island’s heroes with a colorful carnival-style street parade and live music. Annually, local Bermudian heroes are celebrated for their commitment to selfless acts of public service, including those who have devoted their lives to improving things for the Bermudian people.
Heroes celebrated in previous years include Dame Lois Browne-Evans, Sir Henry James Tucker, Mary Prince and more.
Bermuda Carnival
When: Third weekend of June
Where: Hamilton
Immerse yourself in the colorful culture Bermuda has to offer with the annual Bermuda Carnival. Enjoy cultural food, music, boat rides, breakfast parties, band parades and steel pan music performances.
The event lasts for the whole weekend and is one of the fastest-growing Caribbean Carnivals. Created to continue celebrations from National Heroes Day, the carnival has grown into a much larger event since it began in 2014.
Emancipation Day, Mary Prince Day and Cricket Cup Match
When: Last Thursday of July/First Thursday of August
Where: Across Bermuda
Emancipation Day commemorates the end of enslavement on August 1st, 1834. The entire island observes Empanication Day and Mary Prince Day - named after a former enslaved Bermudian and abolitionist heroine - on the Thursday preceding the first Monday of August.
Cricket is a large part of Bermudian culture and entertainment. Before 1947, many Bermudians were reportedly missing work to stay home and watch the Cup Match. As a result, the Emancipation Day and Mary Prince Day commemorations were founded as national Bermuda holidays. This way, local businesses would not suffer due to their employees missing work to watch the Cup Match.
Labour Day
When: First Monday of September
Where: Across Bermuda
Bermuda’s American ties show up in many holidays and traditions on the island, this is especially true of Labour Day. To mark and celebrate the contributions of workers on the island. The day’s activities are organized by the Joint Labour Day Organizing Committee which includes all of the island’s trade unions and the corporate sector.
The Committee puts on a march, road races, entertainment, cultural food and exhibition in honor of the day.
Remembrance Day
When: 11th November
Where: Hamilton
Every year, Bermuda stands still and takes time to remember and honor the island’s fallen heroes. A parade in honor of the fallen precedes a remembrance service given at the Cenotaph on Front Street, Hamilton.
Although the main parade and services are held in Hamilton, this is a public holiday and remembrance services and displays honoring the island’s heroes and fallen service members will likely take place in most Parishes and parts of the territory.
Christmas Day
When: 25th December
Where: International holiday
Across the island, Christmas Eve candlelight services, Special Nativity Tidings and other community events take place and are open to all denominations. With its year-round good weather and traditional approach to Christmas, a festive break in Bermuda is a great way to experience Christmas under the sun without giving up the usual rituals, traditions and family activities American families enjoy at this time of year.
Celebrate Christmas the Bermuda way and take a look at this list of five festive things you can't miss when visiting Bermuda in December to make it a month to remember.
Boxing Day
When: 26th December
Where: International holiday
Sometimes known in the US as St. Stephen’s Day, Boxing Day is an English holiday in origin. Visiting family or friends, exchanging final gifts and continuing to indulge in tasty treats and hearty festive meals are staple activities on Boxing Day.
Life in Bermuda is full of things to do during your spare time with plenty of national holidays with interesting origins and traditions to keep you occupied. Create a life you love to lead in Bermuda and find out what living on this gorgeous island could look like for you.
Make Every Day a Holiday
Make every day feel like a vacation in Bermuda. The beautiful island is packed full of culture, history, architecture and fun, making it the perfect place to call home.
To help you see what experiencing Bermuda as a citizen would be like, we’ve created the ultimate guide covering everything you need to know about Life in Bermuda. From culture and sports to traveling to the Island and how to move here, our Life in Bermuda page has you covered.
Click the link below to get your copy.
