UK-wide Pipe Band Championships are to strike up a tune in north Belfast this Saturday, bringing some of the top names to town to show their stuff.
And it’s sure to be a hot battle for the top slot in each grade, with 70 of the best bands the British Isles has to offer arriving at Grove Playing Fields close to York Road.
That includes Lisburn’s own 13-time world title holders Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, whose trophy haul has made them the third most successful competing outfit in pipe history.
As well as musical competitions for both adult and youth bands, there will be competitions for drum majors of all ages and a wide range of activities for the whole family, including a mini-Highland Games, workshops for kids, craft stalls and a food village.
The event has been brought about through a partnership between the Ulster-Scots Agency and the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, the governing body of world piping, with funding support from Belfast City Council.
DUP politician Tracy Kelly, who this month finished her stint as Belfast’s lord mayor, said she’s delighted to see so many bodies coming together to “bring this fantastic event to our city”.
“I’m a huge fan of pipe bands and love taking part in the Belfast Tartan Day parade,” she said, “and I know that the bands who are coming here from all over the UK will receive a really warm welcome. I hope they will enjoy everything our city has to offer.”
The Ulster-Scots Agency’s chief executive, Ian Crozier, said the UK-wide championships are a great opportunity for local bands to perform on home soil, and for fans to see “the very best Ulster-Scots musical talent competing against the top Scottish and Irish bands”.
He added: “Belfast is a great location for a major competition like this, with great transport links for bands across the British Isles. We’ve been able to secure a great venue at Grove Playing Fields, which we hope will give everyone a great day out.”
The event celebrates the excellence, heritage and shared traditions of pipe band music. Hosting the championships in Belfast, say the organisers, reflects the city’s growing reputation as a welcoming, vibrant destination for major cultural and sporting events, and recognises its strong and longstanding connections to Ulster-Scots and pipe band traditions.
The chief executive of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, Colin Mulhern, said: “As preparations get underway for the 2026 UK Pipe Band Championships in Belfast, anticipation is already growing. We are delighted to be preparing to welcome competitors, supporters and spectators to Grove Park Playing Fields on Saturday.
“The championships remain a flagship event for the global piping, drumming and drum major community and a must-see occasion for audiences. The energy, colour and sound of the UK Championships, culminating in the dramatic finale, create an experience that stays with you long after the final note.
Tickets for the all-day event are on sale via Eventbrite, priced at £10 for individuals or £25 for a family of two adults and two children.
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