For Allisson Russell and her family, Bermuda Day starts long before the parade reaches Front Street. It starts in the early hours of the morning, somewhere between midnight and sunrise, when tents are unpacked, chairs are stacked, ropes are tied between neighbouring set-ups and Front Street slowly begins transforming into a temporary community for the day ahead.

Ms Russell and her family have been attending Bermuda Day celebrations for more than 40 years. Every year, they return to the same ritual: claiming their space early and “camping out” along the parade route from morning until the final groups pass through.

“The tents are out, the chairs are stacked. We don’t take a lot any more. We either buy food or just take fruit and water. This is not the beach.”

Gone are the days of packing large coolers and elaborate meals. But there are still essentials: tents for shade, umbrellas if needed, tarps in case the weather shifts unexpectedly, towels for the cold breeze that is expected early in the day and rope to connect tents with neighbours.

And preparation begins the night before, although she admits there is very little sleep involved.

“I feel like I’m back and forth constantly. We usually start setting up between midnight and 6am. Then I dash home, get a shower, and I’m always the first one back. Every year.”

But what has kept her family returning for four decades isn’t just the parade itself. It’s the atmosphere created around it.

Ms Russell continues: “We have some really kind, good neighbours left and right. People share with you. No one is mean or selfish. I’ve allowed tourists to sit down with us. We just make it about family and community.”

That feeling, she says, is one of the most important parts of Bermuda Day itself, especially as she spends the day with her children and grandchildren.

And for Ms Russell, the parade route also holds personal meaning because her family has participated in the celebrations themselves.

“I’ve watched my children and grandchildren participate,” she says proudly. “We have three majorettes and a Gombey.”

That direct connection to the parade is part of why she feels so strongly about preserving the traditions attached to Bermuda Day.

“We have to keep Bermuda’s culture alive. The majorettes, the Gombeys, the runners. We have to keep Bermuda at the forefront of the parade. When I was younger, we had floats. The schools need to bring that back. Every school should have a float.”

For Ms Russell, the day is not simply entertainment; it is a reflection of Bermudian identity itself. And while the parade brings excitement, music and celebration, her favourite part remains surprisingly simple.

“I love the old-school majorettes with drums. I love that. Not the music. The drums”, she says.

But even more than the performances, she says it is the atmosphere among Bermudians that stays with her every year.

“I love the fact that on that day, Bermudians actually show that they can be kind. That’s when we remember who we are. And we need to demonstrate that throughout the year.”