What happened to Bermuda Shorts Day?
By Josie Simon, March 26 2025—
For more than 60 years, Bermuda Shorts Day (BSD) has celebrated the end of the school year at the University of Calgary. What began as a lighthearted challenge to fashion norms in 1960 evolved into a campus-wide celebration that brought thousands of students together. However, this tradition has changed dramatically in recent years, making many wonder if the spirit that once united the student body is fading.
The birth of a tradition
BSD began with first-year Alan Arthur, who in 1960, wrote a simple message on an announcement board, “April 1st Bermuda Shorts Day.” Arthur aimed to challenge the stigma surrounding men wearing shorts in public, show off his own flowered attire and celebrate the end of classes. What began with 250 students playing marbles between classes quickly gained popularity. The early celebrations were innocent events—students challenged the president to pie-throwing contests and relaxed on the lawn in their Bermuda shorts.
Evolution of a campus celebration
By 1979, the Students’ Union (SU) had formalized the event by adding beer gardens and bands. Over time, BSD evolved into a large-scale celebration with barbecues, beach volleyball, obstacle courses and live entertainment. In 2002, BSD became so popular that the SU started using wristbands so students could bring their friends to the event.
However, BSD would eventually face several challenges, from fluctuating attendance to logistical issues.
In 2008, the SU distributed roughly 9,000 wristbands for BSD, but rainy weather kept many students away, with only 2,300 people showing up.
The construction of the Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL) in 2009 also marked a turning point. The event was displaced from its traditional location in front of MacHall to the soccer fields near the Olympic Oval. Moving the event cost the SU $23,000, which was just the beginning of money problems.
The cost of hosting BSD jumped from $17,000 in 2009 to nearly $100,000 in 2018. This occurred because the university required the SU to cover additional expenses: $16,000 for parking space, plus costs for security guards, police officers and medical staff. At the same time, fewer students attended BSD each year. This meant less money from drink sales to cover the growing costs.
End of SU involvement and The Den’s new role
Today, the SU no longer hosts any BSD celebrations. They have been open about their reasons for this change, citing a lack of university support and unsustainable costs.
“Things like an event space and security — not just for the event but for the whole campus for 24 hours . . . it’s pretty clear that was a deterrent,” said former SU President Shaziah Jinnah-Morsette in an interview with CTV news.
Instead, The Den & Black Lounge now organizes its own celebration. The 2023 party included drinks, food, games and music. While it retained some of the fun aspects of BSD, it was smaller and more manageable to run.
Unofficial alternatives emerge
As the official BSD event has scaled back, students have created their own celebrations. In April 2024, an unsanctioned off-campus block party on Unwin Road NW drew approximately 300 participants, with police reporting around 1,000 students spread across various neighbourhoods.
The gathering prompted police to close part of the residential street and establish a command center near McMahon Stadium. Police said there were no significant problems, but neighbours were upset about the noise. Chris Willard, a resident of the area, asserted that intoxicated students had previously caused property damage and the party should be held elsewhere.
Reclaiming BSD
The decline of BSD reveals a bigger problem at UCalgary. Students seem to care less about campus life and school spirit than they used to, and faced with this reality, SU chose abandonment over innovation.
We don’t know if BSD will return to its former glory or continue to fade away. What’s clear is that keeping campus traditions alive is getting harder as university life changes.
BSD’s future might lie in its past — a simple, student-led celebration on campus born from student creativity and spontaneity, not institutional planning. BSD began with one student, Alan Arthur, writing a message on a blackboard. There was no bureaucracy, expensive permits, or corporate sponsorships—just students deciding to do something fun together.
It may be time to return to that original spirit. The power of campus traditions has always been in the hands of students, not administrators. It’s time to remember that.
This article is a part of our Opinions section and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Gauntlet editorial board.