This year’s Bermuda Day Parade will run in the opposite direction this year, starting at Bernard Park and ending at City Hall.In an announcement at Victoria Park yesterday, Minister of Youth, Families, Sports and Community Development Glenn Blakeney announced the new route, along with several events intended to celebrate Heritage Month.The May 24 parade will start at 1.30pm at Bernard Park, turning North on Dutton Avenue and left on March Folly.The parade will travel south down Cedar Avenue and turn left onto Church Street and then right on Front Street.The route continues west on Front Street, turning right at the birdcage onto Queen Street and continuing to the City Hall car park.Musical trucks will disperse onto Church Street, while dancers will pass by the seating at the car park. Other floats will be parked along Nellies Walk for public viewing.“There will be a viewing stand and seating available at the City Hall car park to accommodate those who wish to be located at the final performance point of the Annual Bermuda Day Parade,” Mr Blakeney said.“It should be further noted that vendors will be stationed at key areas throughout the City, including Front Street, City Hall car park and right here at Victoria park, where there will be the added feature of musical entertainment.“The newly formed Entertainment task force has been meeting during the past few months to organise and format the entire entertainment plan for the day, which will feature some of bermuda’s best home grown talent that will commence performances following the Marathon Derby and continue until the start of the parade.”Despite the change in the route, Mr Blakeney said that public transport will not be affected any more than it has in past years because the basic footprint is almost the same as before.All the streets in the city are expected to be reopened by around 8pm.The Minister also announced several events that have been scheduled for Heritage Month, which this year will focus on local artists.“I believe that this year’s theme, ‘Heritage through the Eyes of the Artist,’ will be magnificently reflected in the unique variety of activities organised by the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs,” Mr Blakeney said.“The theme is highly resonant as we often view artists through the prism of high art, embodied by the dine artists, sculptors, writers or playwrights but the theme here will have far wider significance to our community in that anyone can contribute to Heritage Month 2011, whether they be a landscape artist, a Bermuda cake or fish cake maker, a Majorette, choreographer, dancer or float maker.”The events begin on April 28 with the opening of a Heritage Month art exhibition at the Bermuda Society of Arts Gallery in City Hall.On May 7 and 8, Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art in the Botanical Gardens will host Gombey troupes and Gombey art, along with glass blowing and caricature drawing displays.On May 12, local artist Sharon Wilson will speak at Bermuda College as part of the Historical Heartbeats seminar series, and on May 15 Par-La-Ville Park will feature an ‘Art in the Park” family fun day.On May 21, Shine’s House of Music will host an evening of comedy, music and dancing, while on May 22, Dance through the Ages will be held at Number Six Passenger Terminal in Hamilton, showcasing dances ranging from the fox trot to the limbo.“I’m certain that everyone will greatly enjoy these wonderful opportunities to participate in celebrating ourselves, our customs and our traditions,” Mr Blakeney said.Useful website: www.gov.bm.