Giant hot-air pipe-major floats over Glasgow

Many members of pipe bands will agree that their pipe-major is pure hot air, but this Monday a giant dirigible named “Pipy” took to Glasgow’s skies to draw attention to this year’s Piping Live! International Piping Festival.

 

 

Measuring 156 feet took off from Glasgow Green, where the World Pipe Band Championships have been held for the last 12 years. This year’s World’s has an entry of 221 bands, according to the RSPBA.

 

Piping Live! runs from August 11th to 17th, with events across Glasgow’s city centre, with the National Piping Centre and George Square as focal points throughout the week, which culminates with a special invitational solo piping competition on Sunday, August 17th.

 

Piping Live! has been credited with adding to the popularity of piping in Scotland. Glasgow City Council has supported the event, understanding the return on its investment in terms of the overall revenue that the thousands of visitors – who otherwise would have little else to do – bring to Scotland’s largest city over the week.