Winter Storm numbers strong with new four-day format

The new four-day format for the annual Winter Storm weekend is proving successful, with strong uptake for the competitions, workshops, performances and parties scheduled for January 16-19 at various venues across Kansas City, Missouri.

According to past-president Cliff Davis, competition entries are slightly less than previous years, but he acknowledged that it allows the various contests to be more manageable. All of the amateur piping events happen on Thursday, January 16, and all professional solo piping and drumming and amateur drumming events will be held on Friday, January 17.

Twelve professional pipers are entered for the R.G. Hardie & Co. and Midwest Highland Arts Fund
United States Gold Medal Piobaireachd Competition, while 23 players are in the McCallum Bagpipes and Midwest Pipe Band Association and Midwest Highland Arts Fund United States Silver Medal Piobaireachd Competition. All contestants combine to compete in the North American Gold Medal Ceol Beag Competition.

The major solo piping and drumming competitions held on Friday, January 17, will be streamed on two separate pages via Facebook Live.

Davis added that concluding Winter Storm concert will be directed by Murray Blair of Melbourne, Australia, who replaced long-time director Doug Stronach of Ontario, who stepped down after last year’s event.

The Midwest Pipe Band Association will once again run a regional leg of its Terry McHugh Memorial solo piping event, which has 21 entries.

The Saturday night concert at the Community Christian Church is attended by more than 1,000 piping, drumming and Highland dancing enthusiasts. The show includes performances by Winter Storm workshop staff and various prize-winners, and adult tickets are US$40 each.

Winter Storm was first staged in 2002 and is organized by the Midwest Highland Arts Fund, a registered tax exempt organization.

The 2019 Winter Storm weekend was a finalist as Event of the Year in the 19th annual pipes|drums New Year’s Honours.

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