Bermuda Cup Match honors emancipation and Mary Prince legacy

Bermuda’s annual Cup Match, held over two public holidays at the end of July or early August, commemorates the abolition of slavery and the life of national hero Mary Prince. The tradition began in 1947 as Emancipation Day and Somers Day, and in 2020 Somers Day was renamed Mary Prince Day to recognize Prince’s influential 1831 autobiography that helped end slavery in the British Caribbean.

The weekend features cricket matches, music, food and community gatherings that celebrate both historic freedom and contemporary Bermudian culture. Premier Edward Burt highlighted the event’s role in remembering past struggles, thanking the Somerset and St. George’s cricket clubs, volunteers, vendors and first responders for keeping the celebrations safe and inclusive.