Government has announced an extra day’s holiday this year as Bermuda transitions from a day off on the Queen’s Birthday to a day off in October to mark National Heroes Day.

This year’s event will honour Dame Lois Browne Evans who was the first female Opposition leader in the Commonwealth as well as Bermuda’s first female barrister and first black women MP.

The Queen’s Birthday Parade will take place on Saturday June 14 with a day off on Monday June 16 while the first national heroes day will be on Monday October 13.

But in 2009 the Queen’s birthday Saturday parade will continue but there will be no public holiday.

* Full story in tomorrow's Royal Gazette.