Huntly’s contribution to Scotland’s Year of Homecoming arrives this weekend with banging drums and the heart-stirring skirl of bagpipes.
Taking place this Saturday, Pipes in the Park will kick off at lunchtime, when 10 north-east pipe bands will mass and march through Huntly town centre down towards Huntly Castle.
The dramatic castle ruins then provide the perfect backdrop for a massed pipe band arena in Gordon Schools Playing Field, where Highland dance and local choral, fiddle, folk and rock music performances will take place throughout the afternoon and evening on two open-air stages.
These will be followed by the event highlight – a rocking bagpipes and drums performance by the acclaimed Red Hot Chilli Pipers, who will add their own inimitable twist to Pipes in the Park.
Afterwards, as the sun sets, hear the pipe bands retreat as, one by one, they leave the sound of pipes trailing by the castle walls before the event comes to a poignant close.
Organisers of the event kindly request that attendees prepare for all weathers – waterproofs and sunscreen – to avoid blocking driveways and junctions when parking, and not to leave dogs in cars. The event is licensed for alcohol, but proof of ID will be required for people under 25 wishing to purchase from the bar. Please do not bring cans, glass bottles or other glass containers to the park.
Pipes in the Park will be held in Huntly on Saturday, August 30, from 12.45pm to 8.30pm. The mass pipe band march from School Arch to Market Muir will begin at 1pm. The event is free to attend.