Rousing massed pipes and drums spectacle returns to Bideford next month

The wall of sound from 14 pipe and drums bands will shake the quay on Saturday, September 13 as the popular Bideford Massed Pipes and Drums event returns for a 19th year.

Pipe Bands from across England and Wales will be taking part in the Bideford Carnival procession and then, as darkness falls, they will form up for the now traditional Massed Pipes and Drums Parade.

Bideford’s town crier Jim Weeks has been appointed as the ‘Chieftain of the Gathering’ for this year's events and Jim recently celebrated his 40th year as town crier.

Above: Bideford town crier Jim Weeks has been named ‘Chieftain of the Gathering’ for the 19th Bideford Festival of Piping and Drumming. Credit: Wolfgang Koschnitzke

Mike Harper, event co-ordinator of the Massed Pipes and Drums, said: “Making him our Chieftain is our way of acknowledging his years of commitment and dedication to the town.”

The carnival procession starts at 6pm and as usual, the individual pipe bands will be taking part in the first and last parts of the carnival, but will not be marching around the top of the town.

The Massed Pipes and Drums event starts at around 7.45pm, depending on how long it takes the carnival to tour the town. As soon as the carnival has cleared the quay, Barnstaple Town Youth Marching Band will be entertaining the crowds, while the pipe bands prepare to take centre stage and parade along the historic quayside.

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Bideford is the only place in the South West where you can see so many pipers and drummers performing together and organisers say there is nowhere else you can get close up to more than 130 pipers and drummers.

The evening is hosted by Bideford Youth Pipe Band, which this year will welcome pipers and drummers from: Accrington Pipe Band from Lancashire, Cheltenham Pipe Band, City of Bristol Pipes & Drums, City of Exeter Pipes & Drums, City of Plymouth Pipe Band, City of Swansea Pipes & Drums, Cwmbran & District Pipes & Drums, Kernow Pipes & Drums from Cornwall, Piping Hot from Cwmbran, Rose & Thistle Pipes & Drums from Hampshire, Shirley Pipe Band from the West Midlands, Surrey Pipe Band and Welsh Piping Society from Cardiff.

Many of the pipers and drummers will be playing again in Bideford on the Sunday morning (September 14) for a more informal get-together with Piping in the Park at Victoria Park. This is a chance for the players to have a bit of fun - a pipe band jam session. They will be playing a variety of tunes from 11am for an hour or two, with requests welcome!

Above: Sunday, September 14 will also see Piping in the Park at Bideford’s Victoria Park as the various pipe bands gather for a ‘jamming session’. Credit: Graham Hobbs

Gaylena Humphries, senior pipe major for Bideford Youth Pipe Band, said: “I’m thrilled that so many bands have agreed to come to Bideford this year and hope that the town turns out to support them.

“They really enjoy the friendly atmosphere in the town and are delighted to be able to come back year after year.”

Mike Harper added: “The visiting bands are always keen to come to Bideford. This event doesn’t happen anywhere else in the South West. Hopefully the crowds will turn out to give them all a very warm welcome.”

Find out more at www.bidefordmassedbands.co.uk 

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