World pipe bands set for city
GLASGOW is gearing up to welcome more than 200 pipe bands for the annual World Pipe Band Championships.
The showcase of Scottish culture has been held in the city for more than 30 years.
Celebrating its 70th anniversary, bands will be flying in from 15 nations including USA, Canada, Northern Ireland, France, Australia and Belgium.
Around 8000 pipers and drumers will competed over the two-day event on August 11 and 12. This year, the Worlds, as they are affectionately known, will be part of the celebrations for the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.
The World Pipe Band Championships are being supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
The first ever World Pipe Band Championships were held at Murrayfield in Edinburgh in 1947.
The event was first held in Glasgow in 1948 and has been staged i n the city continuously since 1986.
This year, Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band from Northern Ireland defends the title they reclaimed last year.
Ian Embelton, chief executive of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, said: “Planning for the World Pipe Band Championships is a year-round task for the event organisers and the bands who want to compete.
“We will be welcoming bands from all round the world who want to test themselves against their peers in pursuit of the title of World Champions.
“Every band will already be rehearsing hard in pursuit of a performance at Glasgow Green which is as close to perfection as they can get so we are already anticipating two days of fierce competition to mark the 70th anniversary of this event.”
Tickets for the event and full information will be available via www.theworlds.co. uk with discounts on some tickets for people buying in advance.