News Release: Dockyard, Bermuda – People are being urged to make their way westward for a truly epic day of Christmas fun at the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Sunday, December 8, 2019, will have an intense line up for events ranging from Santa’s Workshop to Carols with the Dolphins, the Dockyard Tree Lighting Ceremony and more!

Stephanie Rodill, the Marketing & Events Manager at the West End Development Corporation (Wedco) said: “This is going to be a full day of family fun and celebration. Children in particular will be thoroughly entertained, but there is something for each family member to enjoy.”

Events include:

  • Festival of Trees Competition & Display: Ten local elementary and middle schools entered into a competition to win cash donations The public has been casting votes for their favourite tree since November 16 and voting will close on Saturday, December 7, 2019. The trees will be on display for viewing in the Clocktower Mall until the beginning of January 2020 and the winners will be announced at the Dockyard Tree Lighting Ceremony. Participating schools are: Bermuda Institute, Paget Primary, Warwick Academy, Mount St Agnes Academy, St David’s Primary, Whitney Institute, West End Primary, Port Royal Primary and Purvis Primary. They need your votes to win the following cash donations: 1) First Place – $2,500; 2) Second Place – $1,500; 3) Third Place – $1,000; 4) Fourth & Fifth Place – $500; 5) x5 Honourable Mentions – $250 each
  • Historical Renactment & Walking Tour: This tour is offered to the public for free and starts at the Moon Gate on the Cruise Ship Pier at 11am and ends at the Clocktower Mall at approximately 12:15pm
  • Selfies With Your Faves: On the upper level of the Clocktower Mall, guests will get to meet and take photos with PJ Mask from 11am to 12pm. This event is entirely free
  • Lunch With Santa: Book a reservation for your lunch with Santa at Frog & Onion between 1pm and 3pm
  • Santa’s Workshop: In the Victualling Yard from 1pm to 5pm, Santa’s Workshop will offer free for the following; giant slide, bouncy castle, sketched canvas Painting (first 40 free, ($12 per canvas after this), giant games, ornament/craft Station, cookie decorating station, face painting by Rebecca Martin, snow play, bubbles play, a colouring station and more! The event will feature music by DJ Allstar and will see a new popular visitor every 30 minutes, available for meet and greets and photo opportunities. The schedule of visiting guests is as follows:
  1. X2 of Santa’s Elves from 1pm to 5pm
  2. Emoji from 1pm to 1:30pm
  3. Elmo from 1:30 to 2pm
  4. Baby Shark from 2pm to 2:30pm
  5. Doc MacStuffin from 2:30 to 3pm
  6. Skye from 3pm to 3:30pm
  7. Woody from 3:30pm to 4pm
  8. Jessie from 4pm to 4:30pm
  9. Marshall from 4:30pm to 5pm
  • Bermuda Classic Bike Club’s Bike Display: For all bike enthusiasts out there, the Bermuda Classic Bike Club will be putting on a bike show in the Victualling Yard between 1pm and 5pm for all to enjoy. While perusing the bikes on display, be sure to vote for your favourite as the bike owners will be competing for the coveted People’s Choice Award. The winner will be announced between 4:30 and 5pm in the Victualling Yard.
  • Carols With The Dolphins: Enjoy a dolphin demonstration and musical performance by The Big Chill at Dolphin Quest from 5pm to 6pm. Free entry into Dolphin Quest opens at 5pm and the Dolphin Demonstration commences at 5:30pm. Free hot chocolate and warm pretzels will be on offer while supplies last.
  • Dock Tree Lighting Ceremony: Join us on the North Lawn from 6pm to 9pm for performances by Northlands Choir, Bermuda Institute Choir, Warwick Gombeys, Pyrotechnics Fire Dancers, Rusty G and Bermuda Dance Academy. We will have the official lighting of the Dockyard Christmas Tree and announce the winners of the Festival of Trees Competition. Free Glow Wands will be on offer while supllies last. There will also be several food vendors at the event.

The Clocktower Mall will be open for business on Sunday, December 8, 2019 from 10am to 5pm. Check out each stores’ holiday offering, such as Grand Bazaar, who are offering 50 percent off all queen and king size bedspreads and handmade area rugs until December 31, 2019!

“We are so excited to celebrate the season with everyone! Dockyard is really going to be a Christmas wonderland and I hope people come down and spend the entire day with us,” said Ms Rodill.

Any weather-related updates on the event will be posted on our website, our Facebook page and Twitter.