When the Corporation of St George cancelled this year’s annual pre-Cup Match celebration in the Old Towne, for the second year in a row, businesswoman Roberta Munden took matters into her own hands.

With only days to work with, the owner of Boho Couture has organised the Cup Match Warm-Up Party in King’s Square for Thursday evening.

“The Corporation of St George Cup Match Extravaganza was scheduled for last week,” Ms Munden explained. “It is a big event.”

She said the turnout was almost equivalent to that of the Bermuda National Trust Christmas Walkabout in St George.

“We probably get a few thousand people down here,” she said. “The cancellation was a big disappointment for all of us — the stakeholders and the public.”

She stepped in, believing that the show must go on.

“Everyone was asking what was going on,” she said. “I thought, we will just make something happen.”

Ms Munden didn’t have much time to work with, just a matter of days, but when the Moongate Brewery stepped in to help, everything flowed from there.

It is hoped that Moongate will be able to operate a cash bar in King’s Square. There will also be live music from entertainer Rivah.

Rivah (real name Desmond Smith) has been a staple in the local music scene for the last 25 years. He is known for blending contemporary reggae, soul and pop.

“Rivah is an amazing entertainer,” Ms Munden said.

She is working on bringing in other vendors and additional attractions to liven things up even more.

“I would like to get some of the cricket players down here,” she said. “I have reached out to both the St George’s and Somerset cricket teams to get some rallying and have some fun.”

Businesses in the Olde Towne are encouraged to stay open late to take advantage of the extra foot traffic.

“We will be ready to receive everybody,” Ms Munden said.

She said in the three years she has been open, this has been her best summer yet.

She credited a mix of cruise-ship passengers, hotel guests and locals, boosted by visibility in the Visit Bermuda guide.

“We are really thrilled,” she said. “Boho Couture has seen many new local customers in the last few months and a lot of repeat customers from our visitors.”

Thursday’s Cup Match Warm-Up Party is free and will take place in King’s Square, with the bar and entertainment spilling into the surrounding area.

Boho Couture will mark the occasion with in-store specials, including Cup Match colours and other items on sale throughout the evening.

One of Ms Munden’s favourite things about the Cup Match holiday is the banter between St George’s and Somerset fans.

“I was in a store recently, and they were selling St George flags for $29.95 and Somerset flags for $39.95,” she said. “When I asked the lady behind the counter why, she said because the Somerset flags were worth more, obviously. We had this fun back and forth.”

The event runs from 5.30 to 7.30pm.