Banchory and Gourock launch Scottish 2025 pipe band season this weekend, but with no Grade 1 bands entering

The lengthy off-season officially ends this weekend for Scottish bands as the outdoor competition circuit returns with events in Banchory and Gourock on Sunday, May 11th. Still, it won’t be until late May or even June before one of Scotland’s six Grade 1 bands appears.

Last year, both events attracted entries from top-grade groups, with Police Scotland Fife winning at Banchory and Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia winning Gourock against four other certified Grade 1 bands, including 2023 World Champions Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia.

Both events have good entries from Grade 2 bands this year, some playing up in “Grade 1” events.

Seven Grade 2 bands are entered for Banchory, including Bucksburn & District, which is returning to the penultimate grade after a two-year hiatus. The Grampian Police also return after a six-year break, now under Pipe-Major Julie Brinklow and Lead-Drummer Lucy Maclean.

For more than four decades, the Gourock Highland Games have been one of the contests on the traditional first weekend of outdoor events, when the event wasn’t cancelled due to horrendous weather, as was the case in 2009 and 2013. The last time there was no entry from at least one certified Grade 1 band appears to be 2005.

Gourock features a Grade 2 entry of nine bands, only four certified at that grade level.

Scottish weather can be particularly changeable at this time of year, but the forecast for both locations is mostly sunny with a high around 64°F.

With Police Scotland & Federation’s decision to sit out the 2025 season as the band searches for a new lead-drummer, there are only six active Scottish Grade 1 bands:

• Inveraray & District
• Johnstone
• Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia
• Police Scotland Fife
• ScottishPower
• Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia

Stay tuned to pipes|drums for results from both events as they become available.