Bermuda Gombeys and the Bermuda Regiment Band will perform in front of audiences totalling more than 100 million people next summer.

The band and the Gombeys have been invited to participate in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a yearly festival in Scotland's capital, Home Affairs Minister Terry Lister announced yesterday.

Flanked by Regiment Bandmaster Major Barrett Dill and Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Eddie Lamb, Mr. Lister urged Bermudians to support the 40 band members and 20 member Gombey troupe by attending the festival to cheer them on.

As military tattoos go, an “ecstatic” Major Dill said, the Edinburgh event is “the most exquisite event in the world”.

Bermuda's participation will cost $350,000 to cover airfare, camp pay, uniforms and equipment. Ground transportation, food and lodging will be covered by the Edinburgh Military Tattoo Committee.

Members of the Gombey troupe have yet to be selected.

Mr. Lister said Government expected to contribute $150,000, from the Tourism and Defence Department budgets, toward the cost of participation and Major Dill will chair a committee to oversee all arrangements including fundraising.

“It is anticipated that the private sector - including local banks and international business in particular - will make significant donations, given their high business profiles in the United Kingdom whose population will provide the largest bloc of the viewing audience.”

Private sector donors will get exposure through informational material on the event as well as, in some cases, a physical presence, he said.

“They will have the opportunity to attach themselves to a very, very fine event and a very fine group.”

He noted that Bermuda is the fourth country from the Caribbean region to be invited to participate in the event since it began 50 years ago.

Mr. Lister said the band was invited after a visit to the Island by the Baron and Baroness of Leigh, personal friends of Melville Jameson, the producer of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, who witnessed the Regiment Band in action at last year's Beating Retreat ceremony in St. George's.

The couple showed Brigadier Jameson a videotape of the Regiment Band in performance when they returned to Scotland.

The Brigadier asked Major Dill to put together a programme so he could “personally assess their standard of professionalism and their suitability” for the Tattoo, explained Mr. Lister.

And he came to the Island to in mid January to watch the performances and was impressed enough to formally invite the Regiment Band and a Gombey troupe to the 2003 tattoo.

“Of course Bermuda accepted this invitation without hesitation, for it provides the entire Island with an opportunity to bask in the international spotlight,” the Minister said.

“In addition, participation will enable the band members and Gombeys to engage in personal growth and to broaden their horizons considerably.”

Lt. Col. Lamb said: “It was not a question of if, but when, they would be invited to attend - such is my confidence in their ability.”

And he asked for support from the entire community, including employers of the participants who will be taking part in the four week festival which runs from August 1 to August 24.

“This is probably one of the most prominent things they would do in terms of the grandiose nature of the event.”

About 200,000 people actually attend the performances with an additional television audience of some 100 million people around the world.

Major Dill said locals will have an opportunity to see the performances of the local contingent at a free show before the group leaves for Edinburgh.

He promised a “programme that will mesmerise” and reflect Bermuda's heritage. “There will be a touch of subtropical music, a bit of traditional Scottish music and traditional British music as we are still a colony.”