European Pipe Band Championships move to Aberdeen's Duthie Park
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The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association have announced that Aberdeen will be the venue for the European Pipe Band Championships 2023 which are set to take place on June 24 at Duthie Park in the city.
Adrian Watson, Chief executive officer of Aberdeen Inspired said: “ We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Aberdeen City Council and the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) in securing the European Pipe Band Championships for Duthie Park, Aberdeen, in 2023.
"This is one of the largest piping events in the world and will attract bands from near and far.
"The championships will bring many thousands to our city and we are delighted to work with our partners in realising all the opportunities that an event of this scale can bring, both in the short and longer term.”
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Councillor Martin Greig, culture spokesperson for Aberdeen City Council, said: “Bringing the Euro Pipe Band Championships to Aberdeen is a major win for the city. I am really delighted with this success.
"The musical celebration will give great enjoyment to so many and will be an excellent opportunity for family entertainment.
"I am keen for this event to have longer lasting significance, for example, by encouraging more young people to learning the pipe, and perhaps city schools to have a pipe band. The championship should become an opportunity to develop talent for the long term, helping us to make Aberdeen a city of music.”
It was announced in November that Piping Inverness which incorporates the European Pipe Band Championships would be cancelled due to being “no longer financially viable”.
A statement from Team Piping Inverness read: “It is with deep regret that we must announce the cancellation of Piping Inverness 2023, incorporating the European Pipe Band Championships, which was due to be staged at Bught Park in Inverness.
“Due to the fees associated in staging this event and the increasing costs of infrastructure etc, it is unfortunately no longer financially viable to stage Piping Inverness in 2023.
“We have endeavoured to try and stabilise and reduce these costs since this year’s fantastic event concluded, however we have been unable to do this to a level that would enable us to move forward.
"We appreciate how this will also be a huge loss to the local businesses of Inverness and surrounding area.
“We would like to thank the pipers, drummers, majors and all of our partners, traders and contractors who have worked with us in delivering the event this year and in 2019.
The one-day event traditionally attracted between 15,000 and 17,500 visitors and 100 pipe bands from around the world.
Inverness Provost Glynis Sinclair said: “Inverness councillors have supported the hosting of the European Pipe Band Championships in Inverness through awarding Inverness Common Good funding to LCC Live Event Services Ltd who organised this prestigious competition for the RSPBA which had been in abeyance during the pandemic.
“It is with great sadness that we have heard that LCC Live Event Services have decided not to proceed with the European Championships in 2023.”
