Bermudians came out in force to celebrate the end of 2016, and the start of a new year.

In St George’s, crowds enjoyed live entertainment before the traditional onion drop to see in 2017, followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

Meanwhile, hundreds gathered on Court Street to enjoy the festive atmosphere and live music at the Uptown New Year’s Eve Celebration. Along with the area shops, several vendors set up tents selling snacks and various trinkets.

While performers took to the stage, children played on bouncy castles and glowing toys as midnight approached.

Revellers celebrated midnight with cheers, before being greeted with the sound of Gombeys.

Moments after midnight, Aria Stowe said that while she is nervous about the future of the island, she was happy to see so many families come out to celebrate the new year.

“Family is what is important,” she said. “Every day is a blessing from God, and we need to make sure we do everything that we can for these young people to make sure that 2017 is everything it can be.”

Kayla Saltus said that, for her, the event is as much a farewell to a challenging year as it is a welcoming of 2017.

“This year has been difficult for a lot of people for a lot of reasons,” she said. “There’s the economy and everything else going on in the world. I think we’re all just hoping that things will get better.”

Michael Roberts, meanwhile, remarked that it was good to see people coming out in high spirits for such an event.

“Things are a little tense now, and this is probably a good chance for people to blow off a little steam,” he said. “So far we have good music and good company. That’s a good start.”