The sun was shining bright for the annual Queen's Birthday Parade yesterday.

The traditional marching and saluting of Queen Elizabeth II took place on Front Street, despite the early morning heat.

The morning also brought many cruise ship passengers and visitors who lined up along Front Street in front of the flagpole to witness a sample of traditional Bermuda.

British residents, Mr. and Mrs. Brown of Newcastle, said they were happy to see the Queen's birthday being celebrated. "This is nostalgic for us," Ms Brown said.

The parade to honour the Queen's day included the Bermuda Regiment and Regiment Band and Corps of Drums, the Bermuda Police Service and Reserves, the Bermuda Cadet Corp and the Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps.

The Governor, Sir John Vereker, arrived in horse drawn carriage to inspect the troops and to stand in as the representative of the Queen.

And as a symbolic gesture toward the Queen, the Regiment fired the 'feu-de-joie', or "fire of joy", to honour the Queen with a round of 21 gun shots. Then the Regiment Band played the national anthem, 'God Save the Queen'.

Young onlooker, Miranda Slater, said, "I came to the parade to hear them fire the guns." Although during the foie-de-joie, like most of the children there, she stood with her fingers in her ears.

The men and women marched proudly as most of the locals who attended had come to see family and friends who were in the parade. Jennifer Bascome, of Somerset said she had come to see her son who was part of the parade.

But others, such as Gregory Jacobs enjoyed the sunshine and said, "It's a nice day to be out to celebrate the holiday and to just enjoy the parade."