The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce is exploring whether there is an appetite for the popular Harbour Nights series to be extended beyond its regular summer schedule to further accommodate vendors, residents and tourists.

Marico Thomas, the president of the chamber, said that the event held on Front Street on Wednesdays ran at full capacity this year with 178 vendors and that there was a waiting list for others who wanted a spot.

The street festival season ended last night, having begun on May 14.

Discussions took place on social media about whether the series should run for longer, with many commenters believing it should be held until the end of the school holidays in the first week of September and even until the end of the cruise ship season in November.

Mr Thomas said that the chamber is also considering launching a vendor event in the colder months, perhaps in the run-up to Christmas.

Mr Thomas told The Royal Gazette: “The chamber has had a great year with Harbour Nights — we have seen a large increase in vendors.

“With the increase of vendors and entertainment, we have also noticed a great swell in the number of tourists and locals coming out.

“The street, kids zone and food courts have been packed.

“The chamber has indeed received a high volume of requests for the 2025 Harbour Nights season to be extended.

“We are eager to support this and have been actively exploring ways to accommodate such requests while balancing the logistical realities of hosting an event of this size.

“The season dates are set a year in advance, based on stakeholder availability. While we did explore the possibility of extending the 2025 season, unfortunately, some of our stakeholders were unable to facilitate this request.

“It is also important to note that Bermudian attendance tends to decline drastically at the end of August, which impacts overall participation.

“For this reason, we encourage the community to come out weekly throughout the season to show consistent support for our local vendors, as this is vital to keeping events like Harbour Nights sustainable.

“That said, the chamber has already commenced discussions with stakeholders for a potential extension in the 2026 season.

“In addition, we are working on opportunities for the latter part of 2025 — including exploring alternative rain venues, additional seasonal markets, particularly around Christmas, and other community events which we hope to confirm and announce in due course.

“I am looking forward to seeing how we can expand it even further, including to other areas. As an example, the return of Heritage Nights in St George’s would be awesome.”

Jeff Sousa, who runs the Sousa’s Spring Rolls stall at Harbour Nights, described the event series as “truly the best street festival we have in Bermuda”.

He took part as a food vendor for the first time this year and said: “I must say I have 100 per cent enjoyed the experience.

“The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce has done a fantastic job organising Harbour Nights, especially this year, which marks their 30th anniversary.

“Of course, many people would love to see Harbour Nights extend into September, especially with cruise ships still visiting, and I know the chamber is looking at those possibilities for 2026.

“I would certainly be supportive of that.

“I also think there’s room for other seasonal events, such as a Christmas market or street festival focused on handmade gifts and local food, which could bring the community together during the cooler months.

“At the end of the day, Harbour Nights is more than just an event — it’s a celebration of Bermuda’s culture, our hospitality and our community spirit.

“I’m grateful to have been a part of it.”

Ashley Stephens, the owner of Ashley’s Lemonade, has been a vendor at Harbour Nights for many years and said the event is well served and attended.

She said: “They [the chamber] do their research and study what would be the best for the vendors who come out, and I trust the decision they make.

“I think a lot of work goes into it on our side as well as the chamber’s. I think whatever decision they make I would go for it; if they extended it, I would come out; if it’s the same, I would come out.

“It wouldn’t hurt to try.”

Ms Stephens said it was important not to overcrowd the vendor market in the run-up to Christmas.

In the comments section of MAJ’s List on Facebook, some posters questioned why the family-friendly event ended before the cruise ship season had wrapped up. This year, the vast majority of ships will stop their visits to the island in November.

Mr Thomas said that this season Harbour Nights was cancelled three times owing to inclement weather and the unavailability of key stakeholders required “to ensure the safety and operational success of the event”.

He said: “We’ve been hit with the threat of rain a few times and it’s always a tough thing for those responsible to make that decision.

“There are quite a number of partners and organisations that need to be co-ordinated for Harbour Nights to occur, run well and be safe. They have their own lead times which dictate their participation.

“We try to push the decision to 4pm for a 6pm start, but exceptional events like a pending hurricane could result in having to decide as early as 2pm.

“The great thing is that Harbour Nights works. It’s a great night on the weekly calendar and people want more of it.”