A festival last year celebrating Bermuda’s Gombey culture has been recognised in the 2025 Best of Bermuda Awards.

The Bermudian magazine gave the 2024 Gombey Festival top honour in the category of Best Cultural Event.

The Ministry of Tourism, Transport, Culture and Sport, which organised the showcase, described the accolade as a validation for the its quality and importance.

Owen Darrell, the minister, said: “The Gombey Festival is more than a performance — it is a powerful celebration of Bermudian identity, unity and pride.

“This award showcases the hard work of our Gombey troupes and the Department of Culture in keeping this cherished tradition alive, dynamic and deeply meaningful to us all.”

The festival, held at the Botanical Gardens in October, featured seven Gombey troupes alongside live musical and dance performances.

There were stalls with food and craft vendors, and an art project held in partnership with the Chewstick Foundation was on display.

To match the event, the Department of Culture launched Gombey Unity by Qian Dickinson, the second instalment of a short film series spotlighting Bermuda’s culture.