Visitors praised the island and its people yesterday as they took part in a carnival highlight that capped a five-day programme of events.

Masqueraders in the Revel De Road procession made their way through parts of Pembroke, Devonshire and the City of Hamilton.

They were joined by the R&B superstar Ashanti, who was on the island for the first time.

She said yesterday afternoon: “It’s beautiful. I’m glad the sun came out.”

The singer, songwriter and actress said that she was excited to take part in the event — also known as Mas or Carnival Monday — and added that she loved her costume.

Kamilah Moss, 45, from Miami, enjoyed several Carnival in Bermuda experiences since the festivities began on Thursday.

She said: “I’ve been here before.

“I just love the island and the people. That makes the carnival.”

Emely Polanco, 32, from Orlando, added: “It’s my first time here. What I love is the culture … the people are very open and welcoming.”

She said: “Definitely we will be back.”

Dushane Farrier, a personal trainer, said JAM, or J’Ouvert A.M., in the City Hall car park was a highlight for him.

The 31-year-old from Toronto added that the Bermuda carnival events were “up there” with those that take place in other countries.

Residents lined roadsides yesterday to watch as the masqueraders — dressed in brightly coloured costumes — danced and celebrated along with the bands they chose to support.

Darren Woods, a spokesman for Carnival in Bermuda, told The Royal Gazette: “It’s been an exciting weekend.

“We’ve had local promoters who put on several events that went really well.

“There have been thousands of people that came out to support the events and join all of the festivities. This year, the atmosphere and the vibes at each of the parties have been at an all-time high.

“We’ve had several international DJs and international artists — you hear a lot of them saying ‘Bermuda is special, Bermuda is different, this is a carnival that I don’t want to miss’, so that has been really positive.

“From a local standpoint, it was disappointing that we had to cancel the raft-up on Saturday, but at the same time, I think people were rested and still came out to the other events prior and after, and enjoyed those.”

He added: “There is no carnival without a road experience, so Mas is what people look forward to, Mas is what anchors the carnival.

“People really look forward to getting dressed up in the feathers, but then being able to go through the streets of our beautiful island and just have a great time.

“With the beautiful backdrop down North Shore, it’s a unique and amazing experience for locals and internationals.”

Sophia Holder, who is originally from Barbados but now lives in the United States, was “having a blast” celebrating her 54th birthday.

She added: “I like the music, the DJs are on point.”

Ms Holder said: “I love the island. I love everything about Bermuda.”

• Click here for more photographs from Revel De Road