A daylong search by The Royal Gazette for an unsmiling face ended without success on Good Friday - except perhaps for the loser of a keenly contested fish cake contest.

Rodney Smith lost out to rival, Government backbencher Dale Butler, who showed how culinary wizardry and politics can on occasion mix. It left Mr. Butler with arguably the biggest smile of the day.

Despite threatening skies at the start of another Good Friday festival, people of all shapes, sizes and colours turned up at various sites around the Island to lounge around, fly kites, play marbles and indulge in copious amounts of fishcakes.

Thousands converged at what was clearly the epicentre of it all - Horseshoe Bay Beach.

- thanks to the United Bermuda Party's (UBP) annual programme which brimmed with entertainment and excitement. But hundreds of others filled other South Shore beaches and parks and the smell of fish cakes was everywhere.

Among the Horseshoe Bay revellers were well known personalities, such as artist Dan Dempster and politicians Wayne Furbert, Grant Gibbons and Jamahl Simmons, and the not so well known.

It was strangely gratifying for some to see kids throw eggs at Mr. Furbert who obligingly stuck his head in a “bunny board” to kick off the children's games. “I love it. I want to move here. It's so beautiful,” said Kelly Fletcher, a 14 year old vacationer, who had arrived here with her family just a day earlier.

The Fletchers were new to the kite flying tradition but quickly got into it when they spotted a damaged and abandoned kite on the rocks and set about on a rescue mission.

After receiving some much needed first aid, the kite rewarded the New Jersey foursome - which also included Kelly's 11 year old brother Richie and her parents Carolyn and Rick - by soaring gracefully into the sky. Another newcomer to Bermuda's Good Friday kite-flying tradition was Scottish accountant Martin McHugh, who proudly showed off his kite made to symbolise a Saltir (St. Andrews Cross).

The Saltir never made it off the ground, but Mr. McHugh kept smiling anyway.

Mr. Butler could not disguise his joy after toppling Rodney Smith in the fish cake contest. Indeed the pair's presence gave the festivities a distinctly non partisan flavour and by 3 pm they had served about 2000 fishcakes. The names of the fishcake judges were not revealed, but according to festival organiser Sherri Symons, the panel consisted of three visitors to the Island and two locals.

The fishcake contest was just one new addition to the festivities this year. Another big new draw, for adults and children alike, was face and body painting by Rhona Emmerson and Gina Thompson who must have painted at least 200 faces and assorted body parts in a five hour period. Among the on stage entertainment were Sumba, drums of destiny, Hot Dancers, X-tacy and Erica Martin.

Colonial Insurance actuary, Dick Tulloch, who won Most Original kite in last year's kite making competition, impressed the judges again this year with his Gombey kite which was recognised as the best in the large kite category for adults as well as the most original.