Island's first ever gourmet food feast.

Organisers were amazed that nearly 500 people braved the weather to feed their faces with fine foods.

The International Food Fair and Culture Festival at Dockyard now looks set to be a regular date on the Bermudian calendar.

It featured 12 stalls including ones with food from Greece, Portugal, Italy, Britain, New Zealand, the West Indies and France.

There was also entertainment from steel bands and Portuguese dancers, who were moved inside the Clocktower to avoid the downpour.

"The Census Report states that 30 nationalities are represented in the Bermuda community,'' said Mr. George Smith, general manager of the West End Development Corporation. "Our international fair is designed to display this diversity through ethnic food and cultural entertainment.'' Organiser Mr. Bryan Darby said: "The rain came down and we thought it was going to be a disaster but then taxis and buses started to turn up. In the end about 500 people came and made it a success. They were mainly visitors, and they had a ball.

"All the stalls had sold out of food by about 4 p.m., so if it had been a sunny day, there would not have been enough food prepared.

"All those people turning up really made it worthwhile for people who had worked a long time to prepare the food.'' And Mr. Darby said the typical reaction came from the West Indian Association who want to know when the next food festival would be.

He said: "If that is an indication of what the people of Bermuda want then it will become a regular event. It really was superb.'' LET A SMILE BE YOUR UMBRELLA -- Shielded from the heavy rain that marked the event, organiser Ms Miranda Gilbert makes the rounds at the first-ever International Food Fair and Cultural Festival at Dockyard yesterday.