This week?s Bermuda Day festivities got off to a loud and boisterous start with the Marching Band Festival at the National Sports Centre on Saturday night.

Hundreds of residents packed the stadium and the atmosphere of Drumline Bermuda was one of pure fun.

The event was sold out and some said they had never seen Bermudians so excited before. The crowd in the bleachers started the ?Mexican Wave? as Minister of Community Affairs and Sport Dale Butler attempted to award prizes to Dr. Melvyn Bassett, Sedric Thomas and Brian Butterfield.

The wave rolled around the National Sports Centre and did not stop until Port Chester High School Marching Band came onto the field.

Before that, the Bermuda Middle School Drumline Band wowed spectators. The international award winning Bermuda Regiment and Bermuda Island?s Pipe bands and the Bermuda Gombey Troupe also revved the crowd.

The Frederick Douglass High School Marching Band was out in full finery, brass and shoes polished. Spectators went went wild when the band played some of the latest hits.

Livingston College Marching Band played ?Bermudians Like to Drink?, but they were joined on the field by Howard University.

Howard University?s Showtime Band, who will participate in tomorrow?s Bermuda Day Parade, stole the show.

James Randolph of the Frederick Douglass band said it was a great experience to play in Bermuda.

?We see that you all like the same music that we do and that you have more pump and hype for the crowd,? he said.

Trumpet player Michael Jordan said: ?I love it down here, I don?t want to go home.?