| Where: | Glasgow, Scotland at Glasgow Green |
| When: | A weekend mid-August (usually the second Saturday in the month) |
| Time: | From 9 am both days, with Prize Giving and March Past from 6pm to 7pm approx on the Saturday |
Bagpipes are widely recognised as an integral part of Scottish culture and heritage and they are a feature of a huge number of events all around Scotland and beyond; the event at Glasgow each August is the World Championship and deserves an article of its own as it offers the musicians the opportunity to demonstrate their skill and dedication. Over 8000 competitors from many countries take part, piping and drumming in the biggest event of its kind anywhere in the world, so it’s an obvious destination if you enjoy the skirl of the pipes. Taking place over two days, the qualifying heats and junior competitions are held on the Friday, while the finals, award ceremony and massed bands spectacle are on the Saturday. There are prizes for various aspects of performance, and the silverware is displayed inside the tent inside Arena 1 where the presentations take place at the end of the day; after the competitive element of the World’s is complete, all the bands assemble on the slope leading down from the Nelson obelisk towards the main arena; the crowd must move back behind newly erected barriers to accommodate them (this takes some time!). The event is the culmination of the week-long Piping Live festival which takes place annually in Glasgow at various locations around the city. There are plenty of food and trade stalls around the site, including several selling the various instruments and accoutrements for band members, and 8 arenas where the various contests take place at set intervals, and programmes with the timings on are available near the main entrances.
Helpful Hints
In 2027 it should be on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th August, with Piping Live from Sunday 8th to Friday 13th.
Tickets are available on the links below- from £14 for adults on the Friday and £25.50 for the Saturday if booked in advance in 2026 (tickets were also available on the gate at £19.50 and £30.50). Hand-stamps are available at the entrance points so you can come and go during the day.
Click here for the event Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WorldPipeBandChampionship/?locale=en_GB
and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldpipebandchampionship/?hl=en
Click here for Piping Live: https://pipinglive.co.uk/
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