Residents and visitors converged on Front Street by the hundreds today to celebrate Bermuda’s heritage.

The annual Bermuda Day Parade drew cheers from onlookers as participants — some making returns after years of absence — made their way across the city under sunny afternoon weather.

This year 69 entrants entered the parade as the island’s traditions were celebrated under the theme “For the Culture”.

The parade kicked-off shortly after 1.40pm with the Bermuda Dance Academy whose dancers impressed the large crowd on hand with their routines and bright costumes.

SMS Village Gombeys then entered the parade, building up the excitement as the young and the old jostled on the side walk to catch a glimpse of the dancers.

Devonshire Ultimate Star Twirlers and Drum Corp then entered the fray, making a spectacular return to the parade after a ten-year absence.

Karimah Hollis, who directs the group along with Shantel Smith, said the group was excited to be back in the national event.

She said: “We took a ten-year break and now we’re back for ever. We are desperate to keep our tradition alive, to be involved in the culture and to keep Bermuda Day spectacular.

“Watch out for DUST — that’s the name we go by — because we’re always ready to shine.”

Ms Hollis said the group was made up of around 40 people between the ages of five to 47.

Dancers, drummers and twirlers represented the group and Ms Hollis said plans are already in motion for next year’s parade.

“We’re doing a recruitment drive in September … so if anyone wants to join us, send us a message at dusttwirlersbda@gmail.com,” she added.

Another group, the St David’s Islanders and Native Community, also made a return to the parade.

Dominique Williams, the secretary of the group, said they last took part in the parade in 1999.

“We are very excited to have our culture on display. We get to share part of our culture, so here we are showing ourselves to Bermuda and the rest of the world,” she said.

The group’s float had a traditional firepit, with children and elders gathered around, a move which Ms Williams said signified “storytelling within the community”.

She added: “We got everything done in about two weeks in terms of preparations. There were lots of late nights but we all came together as a community.”

Katie, a visitor from Massachusetts, said she visited Bermuda several times for business but this year was her first time at the parade.

“It’s wonderful here, it makes you happy and just want to dance. We came from New England and its still cold up there, so it’s lovely here ,” she said.

The visitor said she was most impressed by the young dancers, adding: “The commitment that they have to just go out there, it makes you smile.”

Just under an hour after the parade started, attention turned to the Hamilton Parish Hot Pepper Majorettes who danced their way into Front Street with smooth moves.

They were followed by Place’s New Generation Gombeys whose dancers moved in unison as crowds on both sides of the street looked on.

Reggae music, played on the steel pan by CedarBridge Academy students on a low-bed truck, then captured everyone’s attention, including dancers in the crowd which built up steadily as the afternoon passed.

The Filipino community, which wowed crowds at the parade last year, did not disappoint with their coordinated dance moves in bright yellow and white costumes.

Ryan DeJesus, the president of the Filipino Association of Bermuda, said the group performed two dances at the parade.

Mr DeJesus said because of the large turnout last year, the group’s contingent grew to 40 dancers taking to the streets of Hamilton this year.