Front Street was filled with pomp and pageantry yesterday when hundreds of residents and visitors gathered to watch the annual Queen?s Birthday parade.

The Bermuda Regiment, the Sea Cadets, and Police Cadets accompanied by the Bermuda Regiment Band marched through Hamilton to commemorate Her Majesty the Queen?s official 78th Birthday.

Although the Queen was born in April, the sovereign?s birthday is officially celebrated in June with the ceremony of Trooping the Colour in England and in Commonwealth countries throughout the world.

The parade was well-attended this year with residents coming out as early as 9 a.m. with lawn chairs to stake out their spot along Front Street.

Dressed in their best, politicians, dignitaries and the Island?s religious leaders watched the troops from their covered seats in the band stand.

Visitors on board the cruise ship which was docked along Front Street gathered to watch the traditional trooping of the colour ceremony with the arrival of the Governor Sir John Vereker and his wife Judy in a horse-drawn carriage.

Queen Elizabeth was honoured with the Royal salute and a 21 gun salute used to symbolically signify her arrival and departure at the parade.

Premier Alex Scott and his wife Olga with the Deputy Commissioner of Police George Jackson and Hamilton Mayor Lawson Mapp attended the event.

Parade Commander Major Brian Gonsalves and the commander of the Regiment, Lt. Col. Edward Lamb guided the troops through the hour and a half ceremony which began on Front Street and ended on the grounds of the Cabinet building.

Both residents and visitors enjoyed the parade and several complimented the troops for being able to withstand the heat in their uniforms.

?We thought it was very nice and very well-organised, we loved the uniforms and all the British pomp and circumstance,? said visitor Don Reihart of Pennsylvania. ?The troops were also very well-disciplined.?

His wife Marci enjoyed celebrating her fiftieth Birthday on the same day as the Queen. ?The horse and carriage arrival of the Governor and the 21 gun salute was lovely,? she said. ?My friends are calling me Queen Marci today.?

Dr. Hermmoine Jackson, who is originally from Virginia in the United States but is working in Bermuda said it was her first Queen?s birthday parade and she loved it.

?I really enjoyed it, it was very well done,? she said.

Resident Ruth Davis had been attending the parade for as long as she remembered and wished the Queen could attend the ceremony herself.

?It?s very unique and its very well done, its tradition because it represents how we appreciate the Queen. It would be nice if she could come and visit and see the parade,? she said.

Leroy Frith, also a local, also looks forward to the parade every June and regularly attends. ?Its a wonderful day for people to get together and this year it seems to be very well attended,? he said.

Marion Darrell, also a resident, had several family members in the parade said it was an enjoyable holiday event. ?This year it was very well done, I really think it?s a great thing to keep going. It?s part of our tradition.?