The origins of Bermuda Day stem from events of civil unrest and it was designed to bring everyone together in harmony an irony given the bloody events over the weekend.

The Bermuda Government had commissioned Lord Pitt to look at the possible underlying causes of the civil unrest in the 1960s and 1970s and to suggest some solutions.

He received a lot of feedback from Bermudians who said the country should organise an event to bring people together in harmony, to help them respect and appreciate each other.

The then Ministry of Community Affairs started Heritage Week to be held on the last week of May to highlight the Island's cultural heritage.

Empire Day, an annual holiday on May 24 to recognise Queen Victoria's birthday, fell within Heritage Week, so that was renamed to Bermuda Day and the first Bermuda Day Heritage Parade took place in 1979.