No Bermuda Shorts Day celebration at the University of Calgary this week

Entrance sign and arch at the University of Calgary. (Getty Images)

An annual event celebrating the last day of winter semester classes at the University of Calgary will not go ahead on Tuesday. 

It's the third year in a row that the U of C's Students' Union (SU) has cancelled Bermuda Shorts Day.

It was scrapped in both 2021 and 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials with the SU say the cancellation is disappointing to students who worked hard during the academic year and deserved to celebrate the last day of classes.

"Students have faced a challenging year with shifts between online and in-person learning, the university moving courses online at the last minute, and significant increases to tuition," read an online statement from March 21.

"While health measures have been lifted across Alberta, and many measures have been lifted on campus, the SU cannot justify hosting an event that includes thousands of students in very close proximity to each other."

Instead, the union encouraged students to celebrate the last day of classes safety.

"We hope that we may be able to hold some type of BSD event in future years."

According to the university, the first Bermuda Shorts Day celebration was held in 1961 when Alan Arthur wrote “April 1st is Bermuda Shorts Day” on a board used for announcements, apparently trying to reduce the stigma of men wearing shorts in public.

BSD has now become a well-known campus custom.

"Over the years, it has included barbecues, pancake breakfasts, beach volleyball and tug-of-wars, obstacle course challenges, opportunities to volunteer in the community, and live entertainment and concerts," the U of C said in a look back at 50 years of celebrations in 2016.