2015 Bermuda Carnival Highlights
Bermuda Heroes Weekend 2015 Highlights
Julianspromos traveled to Bermuda in June 2015 to document the inaugural Bermuda Heroes Weekend, capturing multiple stages of what would become one of the island’s signature Caribbean cultural celebrations.
The historic four-day weekend combined live Soca, J’Ouvert, mas and Caribbean entertainment, giving Bermuda its first major Carnival-style celebration during the National Heroes holiday.
Original Julianspromos coverage followed the weekend from the opening night concert on Front Street through the early-morning J’Ouvert and into the first Parade of Bands, creating a visual record of the beginning of a new Carnival tradition.
Opening Night on Front Street
Bermuda Heroes Weekend officially kicked off on Friday, June 12, 2015 with a free Soca concert on Front Street in Hamilton.
The opening night featured performances from Lyrikal, Kerwin Du Bois, Kes The Band, Lead Pipe & Saddis and other Caribbean entertainers, while DJs including Crown Prince & Barrie Hype, DJ Rusty and DJ Stephen helped set the tone for the weekend.
The packed Front Street celebration introduced audiences to the scale and energy organizers envisioned for Bermuda Heroes Weekend, combining international Soca artists with local and visiting Carnival audiences.
Bermuda’s First J’Ouvert
The celebration continued into the early hours of Saturday, June 13, with the first Bermuda Heroes Weekend J’Ouvert.
Originally planned for Morgan’s Point, the event was relocated shortly before the weekend to the Royal Naval Dockyard, where revelers gathered from the early morning hours for Soca, paint, music and J’Ouvert energy.
Original coverage was shot and edited by Julian Hackett for Julianspromos, documenting this historic first edition of Bermuda’s J’Ouvert celebration.
Music came from DJs including Crown Prince & Barrie Hype, DJ Rusty, Back To Basics & Tony Cross, DJ Stephen and others.
The First Parade of Bands
Later that day, Bermuda Heroes Weekend continued with its inaugural Parade of Bands at Royal Naval Dockyard.
Masqueraders filled the Dockyard area with costumes, movement and Soca as several bands brought Caribbean Carnival culture onto the road for Bermuda’s first major Carnival parade.
Participating groups included Passion, Party People, Off Level, Caribbean Massive, The Dill Family and Real Frenz.
Julianspromos captured the parade from inside the celebration, with Julian Hackett handling coverage and editing and Ornella serving as guest host while playing mas in costume with Passions Mas.
Music throughout the road experience included Crown Prince & Barrie Hype, DJ Rusty, Back To Basics & Tony Cross, DJ Stephen, DJ Spice and others.
A New Carnival Tradition Begins
Bermuda Heroes Weekend was created as a multi-day celebration around Bermuda’s National Heroes holiday, blending local culture with the energy and traditions of Caribbean Carnival.
Beyond the opening concert, J’Ouvert and Parade of Bands documented by Julianspromos, the inaugural weekend also included Pan in the Park and a large Raft-Up, completing four days of entertainment and cultural activity across the island.
The success of the 2015 edition laid the foundation for what would continue developing into the annual celebration now widely associated with Bermuda Carnival.
Original Julianspromos Coverage
The Bermuda trip formed part of Julianspromos’ expanding international multimedia operation during 2015, when the company was documenting Caribbean Carnivals and entertainment experiences across multiple countries and cities.
By covering several stages of Bermuda Heroes Weekend rather than only the main parade, Julianspromos preserved a broader record of the inaugural celebration, from its first live Soca concert to its first J’Ouvert and first Carnival road experience.
From the Julianspromos Archives
Bermuda Heroes Weekend 2015 Highlights is preserved as part of the Julianspromos Archives, documenting an important moment in both Bermuda Carnival history and Julianspromos’ international multimedia era.
Explore more original Carnival footage, artist performances, interviews and Caribbean cultural moments from throughout the history of Julianspromos.
