Trinidadian-American actor and carnival enthusiast Rob Riley will be on the Island this weekend as the celebrity guest for the launch of Bermuda Heroes Weekend 2016.

Activities have been planned with the assistance of the Bermuda Tourism Authority to give Mr Riley and his team the full Bermuda experience, according to a press release from Heroes Weekend organisers.

Mr Riley, who is known for his roles in TV shows Hit The Floor, Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse and The Bourne Legacy, will attend the combined band launch tomorrow night and the black-tie gala on Saturday night.

He is also the CEO of Hollywood Massive, a band in Hollywood Carnival.

The launch weekend will be held tomorrow and Saturday at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club in the Harbourview Ballroom and will feature costumes for 2016 including new bands, announcement of Band of the Year 2015, a performance by Ricardo Drue and more.

Mr Riley stated: “I can’t wait to see the beauty of Bermuda first-hand as it’s always been a dream vacation destination.

“Once I heard about Bermuda Heroes Weekend, visiting the Island became a necessity. I can’t wait to enjoy the band launch this weekend and then returning in the summer to witness the evolution of carnival. Hollywood Massive is looking forward to being right at home in Bermuda.”

Residents are invited to attend both events for an exclusive preview of Heroes Weekend. Tomorrow night, nine bands will showcase their themes starting at 8pm with mini fashion shows featuring costumed models for Parade of Bands 2016.

In addition, soca artist Ricardo Drue will perform hits including Vagabond and Professional. DJs Barrie Hype, Titan VCD and local DJ Coolie will keep the party going until 2am.

At Saturday night’s black-tie gala, guests will have an opportunity to learn about Bermuda’s ties to the Caribbean and the history of Carnival. The event, titled Our Time — Celebrating Unity, Rhythm & Culture, will feature Corey Butterfield as guest speaker.

It will begin at 6pm with cocktails in the Trudeau Room featuring local steel pan entertainment. A four-course Caribbean inspired dinner will follow in the Harbourview Ballroom at 7pm.

An after-party will follow with international DJ Titan VCD with D’General and DJ Coolie. The Band of the Year for 2015 will also be announced at the gala, which will finish at 1am.

Jason Sukdeo, president of Bermuda Heroes Weekend, said: “We look forward to offering an entertaining weekend for our patrons and are excited to see what each band has planned.

“On behalf of BHW, I encourage the community to attend one or both events to find out a bit more about carnival in Bermuda.”

Tickets for the launch party are $40 from Kit N Caboodle or on www.ptix.bm. Guests can buy a combo ticket for $175 which includes admission into the launch party and the gala. Group tables of ten are available for $150 each and can be purchased by e-mailing vbuckley@bermudaheroesweekend.com.

For more information, visit www.bermudaheroesweekend.com.