More than 15,000 people, 4,000 pipers and 120 pipe bands are due to descend on Moray for MacPiping Hot in Forres.
The town and Grant Park were previously a fixture on the events calendar between 2013 and 2018 for the European Pipe Band Championships.
Now the sound of pipes and drums are coming back to Forres on June 8 for the British Pipe Band Championships.
The previous incarnation of the event was the largest single-day event held in Moray with upwards of 20,000 enthusiasts attending at its peak – a crowd that doubled the size of the community for the day.
And that excitement is expected to continue for the return of the event under new organisers.
The Press and Journal has prepared everything you need to know for the event, including:
- How much are tickets for MacPiping Hot in Forres?
- Where can you buy tickets?
- What can you expect from the British Pipe Band Championships in Forres?
- Where can I park and how can I get there?
What is MacPiping Hot in Forres?
Officially, the event is the British Pipe Band Championships.
In full, it is an all-day event in Grant Park in Forres packed with stirring music, a fun fair, lines of stalls and other children’s entertainment.
The natural bowl of the park has been praised for creating a stirring arena for previous events.
A promise has also been made to promote the rich cultural heritage of traditional Scottish music throughout the day.
Gates are due to open at 8am with the day’s action continuing right through until 7pm.
The previous Piping at Forres European Pipe Band Championships were put together by different organisers, Forres Events Ltd, and generated £1.3 million every year for the local economy.
This year’s event is being organised by YBD Music, the company that has been running MacMoray in Elgin in recent years and the upcoming Forres Fest, which will be held at Mosset Park on June 29.
This year’s event is expected to be worth £2 million to the local economy.
Organiser Andy MacDonald has promised the championships will “bring great joy to many with family entertainment” and have a “long-term significance” in the town.
The pipe band championships will at the end of Forres Community Association’s Scottish Week, which features events throughout the town.
How much are tickets?
There are three tiers of tickets for MacPiping Hot in Forres for you to get the best view of the British Pipe Band Championships.
- Standard tickets: Adults £15, under 18s £10, under 12s £7.50, under 2s free.
- Seated area tickets: Sold out.
- VIP tickets, includes access to VIP bar and seated area: Adults £30, under 18s £25, under 12s £15, under 2s free.
Tickets can be bought online HERE, or direct from the Carlton Hotel on Forres High Street.
How can I get to MacPiping Hot in Forres by car and train?
With pipe bands travelling from across Scotland and the UK for MacPiping Hot in Forres, car parking around Grant Park is likely to be extremely limited due to coaches.
Spaces in the rest of the town are also likely to be in short supply.
Organisers have encouraged people to use the park and ride service that will run from Forres Enterprise Park every 30 minutes to the event and back.
Buses will be run by Moray Council’s m.connect service and will include the town’s railway station.
Grant Park is a one-mile walk from the railway station and requires crossing the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road.
The first bus will leave the Enterprise Park at 9am, the last leaving Grant Park will be at 6.51pm from North Road.
- Bus ticket prices: Single £3, return £5, all day £9.
- Parking is free providing a bus ticket is bought.
Read more about upcoming events
- Not had your MacMoray fill yet? It’s coming back AGAIN in August with even bigger bands!
- Inverness Highland Games: All you need to know about this annual spectacle
- What to expect from new Forres Fest music festival
- 11 great Highland Games to go to across Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highlands
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