Island Culture & History in Bermuda

With over 400 years of history and culture to work with, the Bermuda Department of Tourism is launching the Bermuda Rendezvous Activities program, an invitation for visitors to experience the island’s distinct culture, arts and entertainment through a variety of activities, the majority of which are free.

The activities offer a range of activities and events, from performances by Bermuda’s famed and colorful Gombey dancers to glass-blowing demonstrations, cooking demonstrations and historic tours of the Royal Navy Dockyard, Hamilton and the town of St. George, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Here are a few of the specific events you can enjoy:

• Guided Walking Tour of City of Hamilton – Offered every Monday at 10 am, a local tour guide will show you some of Bermuda’s most historic sites, including spots like the Bermuda National Library and Fort Hamilton.
• Botanical Gardens Tour – Offered Tuesday, Wednesday, and Fridays at 10:30 am, this is an opportunity to tour 36 acres of gardens that are home to 15 permanent collections, including sub-tropical fruit groves, cedar and banyan trees as well as a sensory garden.
• Bermuda Gombey Revue – Performed every Tuesday at 4 pm in Hamilton, this fun folk art event features the music and dancing of Bermuda’s famed Gombeys.
• Bermuda Cookery Demonstrations – Offered every Wednesday from 2:30-4 pm in Hamilton, these is an opportunity to learn about Bermudian cuisine, a melting pot of ethnic influences.
• Old Town Tour & Historical Re-Enactment – Performed Monday through Thursday and on Saturday, at 10:30 am, visitors can enjoy a guided tour through the historic town of St. George.  After the tour, the mayor will greet visitors at the Town Hall, and in November, these activities will be followed by a light-hearted historical re-enactment of a public punishment called the Ducking Ceremony. The re-enactments will be performed on Wednesdays and Saturdays through March 2012.
• Taste of Bermuda Calypso Sundays – Stop by the Bermuda Craft Market in the Royal Naval Dockyard to taste delectable jams, rum cakes, locally brewed beer and ginger beer while listening to a rhythmic Calypso band, every Sunday 1:30-3:30 pm.

Dates:  The Bermuda Rendezvous Activities program runs through March 31, 2012.

Photo credit:  Robyn Fleming via flickr