BC Pipers Annual Gathering remains all-online

The British Columbia Pipers Association has elected to hold the 89th version of its Annual Gathering as an online-only competition this year, caught on the cusp of the province’s expected announcements on an easing of pandemic restrictions.

“Local health restrictions were the determination and have only just allowed us in the last 10 days to get back to in-person offerings,” said BCPA director Garth Newlands. “Additionally, we were unable to secure a facility to hold an event. Next year our Mini-Gatherings and Annual Gathering should be back as in-person events.”

The competition is one of the world’s longest-running and is considered the marquee event of the association’s year. The 2022 version will take place April 15-16, with solo piping and drumming events across all grades. The 2021 Annual Gathering attracted 156 from around the world.

Apart from Grade 1, the 2022 contest will again call for amateur contestants to submit pre-recorded videos during a one-week period using YouTube and a Google Form.

Open/Professional and amateur Grade 1 competitors will perform live online via Zoom at an assigned date and time, capture their performance on a separate video recorder, and submit the video and details within eight hours.

In addition to the Open Piobaireachd, Open MSR, and Open Jig solo piping events, there will be a Piobaireachd competition B- and C-Grade members of the Competing Pipers Association, who can also compete in the regular events.

The deadline to enter all events is March 31st.

The big prize at the Annual Gathering is the MacCrimmon Cairn Open Piobaireachd. Bruce Gandy of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, won the 2021 competition, his eighth time taking the trophy.

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