World’s Week Grade 1 Band Practice Locations and Times

For those travelling to the World Pipe Band Championships, half the
fun is going around Scotland during the week leading up to the big
contest to hear the top bands in their practice locations.

As a service to readers of pipes|drums, we’ve asked each Grade 1
band to tell us where they might be found during the week of August
10. We heard from the following bands and, where applicable, also
pass along the band’s request that visitors not try to attend their
practices. (Missing bands have so far not responded to our
request.)

Readers are advised to confirm times and venues with bands before
making any long journeys.

• Alberta Caledonia – Practicing at Kelvingrove Park,
  Glasgow. Use either the Derby St or Kelvin Way gates. Practices
  begin at 9:30 a.m. and go until around noon on August 14 and 15.
  The band notes that they can also be found at the Park Bar or
  Cairncross House on Kelvinhaugh Street.

• Ballycoan – Staying at Woolfson Halls of residence,
  Glasgow University.

• Boghall & Bathgate – Practicing at
  Deans Community High School in the town of Livingston on August
  11, 13, and 14, and at Glasgow Green on Friday afternoon.

• Bucksburn & District – Staying at Glasgow
  University’s Woolfson halls of residence starting August 14.
  Practicing at Glasgow Green on Friday, depending on the weather. If
  bad weather the band will practice on the grounds of the
  university.

• City of Washington – Band is staying at Glasgow
  Caledonia University at Dobbies Loan. Pipe section practice
  starting Wednesday and then full band practices on Thursday
  afternoon, Friday morning and Friday afternoon.

• Dysart & Dundonald – Practicing August 11 at the
  Dundonald Institute & Dundonald Bluebells FC; Wednesday, August
  13, at the Village Inn & Dundonald Bluebells FC; Friday, August
  15, at the Dundonald Institute & Dundonald Bluebells FC. All
  practice times: 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. All venues in Cardenden, Fife. (15
  mins from Forth Bridge). Contact: Paul Turner at 07887
  546099.

• Field Marshal Montgomery – Arriving in Scotland August
  14, and practicing at Kelvin Grove park in Glasgow on Friday
  afternoon from around 2:00 p.m.

• Glasgow Skye Association – Band practices at the RSPBA
  Headquarters at 45 Washington Street, Glasgow, August 11 and 14,
  7.30 until 10.30 p.m.

• House of Edgar-Shotts & Dykehead – Band welcomes
  visitors to its practice site on Robert Street in the village of
  Shotts, off the M8, about half way between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
  Practice schedule for World’s week is Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and
  Friday nights.

• Los Angeles Scottish – Staying at Queen Margaret
  residences, Bellshaugh Court, Kirklee, University of Glasgow.
  Practicing there at around 9:00 a.m. each day, starting August
  13.

• Lothian & Borders Police – Band will be practicing
  on Monday and Thursday, from 7.30 p.m. onwards at Lothian &
  Borders Police Headquarters, Fettes Avenue, Edinburgh. Anyone
  wishing to attend should go to the reception desk and ask to be
  taken to the practice hall. E-mail: Band
  Manager.

• Manawatu Scottish – The band is staying at Alexander
  Court, Stirling University, Stirling, and practices each day at
  10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The band will be practicing on Glasgow
  Green at 2:00 p.m. on Friday before the World’s near the Grade 1
  arena.

• MacTarnahan’s Prince Charles – Staying at the Murano
  Street residences at the University of Glasgow. Practices will take
  place every day starting on August 9.

• Peel Regional Police – Staying at Strathclyde
  University. Practicing Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the
  parking lot off Collins Road at the university from 11:15 am to
  12:15.

• St. Laurence O’Toole – Staying at the Glynhill Hotel,
  Paisley Road, Renfrew. Arriving in Glasgow on Friday, August 15,
  and will be practicing that evening, probably starting around 7:00
  or 8:00 p.m.

• ScottishPower – The band would love to have guests
  attend practices, however space and security issues make it
  inconvenient.

• 78th Fraser Highlanders – Staying at Forbes Hall,
  Rottenrow, Strathclyde University. Band not practicing publicly
  until after August 13 performance at the Glasgow Royal Concert
  Hall. Thursday and Friday practicing outdoors, but likely somewhere
  near the residences.

• Simon Fraser University – Staying at Wolfson Hall,
  Garscube Estates, Bearsden. Practices scheduled for Wednesday,
  Thursday and Friday, each starting at 3:30 p.m.

• Strathclyde Police – Practices are held at the Lochinch
  Police Club at Pollok Park, Glasgow. The band will practice Tuesday
  through Friday, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. the week of the World’s. Contact
  number for the band: 0141-532-3177 or 3178.

  Toronto Police – Practicing at Kelvingrove Park near
  Cairncross House, Glasgow University, Wednesday to Friday starting
  at 1:00 p.m.

• Vale of Atholl – Practices are held at the Tulloch
  Institute in Perth, and the band will definitely be practicing on
  the Tuesday and Thursday.

  p|d

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