The 2021 European Pipe Band Championships, which were due to take place in Inverness, have been cancelled.
Organisers have pulled the event for the second year in a row due to uncertainty around Covid restrictions.
Piping Inverness which incorporates the European Pipe Band Championships, was due to take place on Saturday June 26.
More than 17,500 visitors attended Bught Park in 2019, with more than 100 pipe bands from around the world taking part.
The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) along with event organiser LLC Live came to the joint decision to cancel this year’s showcase.
Ian Embelton, chief executive of the RSPBA, said: “In response to the current Coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19), and after careful consideration and discussions with LCC Live Events Services Ltd, we have made the decision to cancel the 2021 European Pipe Band Championships in Inverness originally scheduled for Saturday 26th June.
“Our decision is based on the latest guidance from the Scottish Government, as well as advice taken from our key partners.”
Piping Inverness was first held in 2019, with a three-year deal in place to hold the event until 2021.
However, due to Covid only one championship has been able to go ahead.
There are hopes that the contract can be extended until 2023, with talks ongoing between LCC Live and RSPBA.
Les Kidger, director of LCC Live, revealed that they were disappointed that another installment of the popular event had to be cancelled.
He said: “We’re so disappointed that Piping Inverness, which incorporates the European Pipe Band Championships, won’t be taking place this year.
“Events like this, take a considerable amount of time to organise, and with so much uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, we have, in partnership with the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, made the decision not to host this year’s event.
“We are talking to the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association about the possibility of extending our delivery contract into 2022 and 2023, as we’d love to welcome the European Pipe Band Championships back to Inverness.
“2019 was a terrific event and brought many thousands of people to the local area and had a huge economic impact on Inverness and the Highlands.
“We will be reaching out to our delivery partners, including Highland Council and Highlife Highland, in the near future to discuss the possibility of hosting this renowned European event in Inverness and bringing it back for a further two years.”