The Queen?s Baton arrives in Bermuda tonight ahead of four days of events to mark the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, next year.

The festivities begin tomorrow morning at Government House when the Baton will be presented to Governor Sir John Vereker by Bermuda Olympic Association president and regional vice-president of the Commonwealth Games Federation John Hoskins and Melbourne-bound athletes Arantxa King and Latroya Darrell.

Both athletes, gold and silver medal winners at the Junior Pan-Am Championships in Windsor, Ontario, last month, are part of the expected 30-strong team who will represent Bermuda at next year?s Games.

The Baton will then be driven to St. George?s for a presentation to Mayor Michael E. Jones before being paraded around the town by former and future Commonwealth gymnasts.

On Friday, the Baton?s journey begins with the obligatory visit to tourist sensation Johnny Barnes in the morning before a presentation to Premier Alex Scott by Commonwealth triathlete Kris Hedges before being handed on to junior sailors Jesse Kirkland and Rajae Woods.

It will be then paraded down Front Street, up Queen Street to City Hall for a presentation to Sports Minister Dale Butler and Hamilton Mayor Lawson Mapp.

After photo opportunities at the National Stadium it will next appear at the Bacardi building in the evening during an event that will see a reunion of every Commonwealth Games athlete to have represented Bermuda in the past 75 years

The Baton will then be passed on by Premier Scott back to Hoskins on Saturday night at the Hall of Fame dinner before continuing on its journey to the Falkland Islands.

The ultra-modern baton, the Commonwealth version of the Olympic torch, has been doing pre-Games tours since 1958 but is reaching Bermuda?s shores for the first time as part of its 180,000 km, 71-nation journey lasting one year and a day.

The Baton will arrive accompanied by its four-man entourage; a photographer ? who has been sending images to the main Commonwealth website from around the globe ? a security officer, a Melbourne Police officer, an administrator and a publicist.

Bermuda are planning to send a team of around 30 athletes to next year?s Games Down Under with squash players, track and field athletes, cyclists and swimmers already qualified. A number of shooting competitors and gymnasts are expected to qualify soon.