A big thank you to our PPBSO staff, volunteers, stewards, judges, Glengarry Highland Games Committee and, of course, all of our competitors and bands. A special thanks to all those that travelled a long way to be part of this special weekend. Enormous appreciation to our twenty-two judges for their expertise over the weekend, especially Barry Donaldson, Paul Turner and Dr. Angus MacDonald who made the trip from Scotland. Congratulations to the winners: (Full band and solo r

Just 9 days before the event, the Cambridge Scottish Festival Committee has notified the PPBSO of the cancellation of the games for 2026. No reason was given at this point for the cancellation. All registered soloists and bands are being advised by email and will, in due course, receive any entry fees back. PPBSO President, Malkie Bow, stated "This is surprise and very disappointing, as we had record band and solo entries this year and there will be a lot of disappointed mem

More and more we’re seeing severe weather conditions during the summer season including sudden storms or high heat and humidity. Every individual, every band, the PPBSO and the highland games organizers should plan contingencies for these extreme conditions. Bringing enough hydration and setting up tents for shade is something all members should consider. Ensuring that tents are staked or tied down is also important. A recent incident at a highland games highlighted this whe

2026 Ontario Highland Games Season Here we are on the brink of a new Summer season with the Hamilton Gathering only days away - followed by a string of competitions in succession. PPBSO Membership and competition entries are up again this year so we’re looking forward to a busy season. Solo entries at Hamilton are double from last year and Georgetown solo entries are up over 50% from one of their best years last year. Encouragingly, most of the increase in entries are in low

Based on comments from competitors about the lack of detailed feedback on scoresheets, the music committee was asked to consider if there was a better, more detailed way of giving feedback to competitors. Often the only feedback given was the ticking of a box. It should also be noted that the judges score sheets in use today have not changed much in over twenty years. In reviewing the current PPBSO solo score sheets, the music committee opted to remove the quadrant tick box

Ten sanctioned highland games competitions are scheduled for the Ontario 2026 Summer season, kicking off with the Hamilton Highland Gathering on Saturday June 6th. Hamilton is a unique urban backdrop and allows bands and soloists to get the early cobwebs out under a more relaxed setting. This competition is limited to ten grade 3, 4 & 5 bands. Georgetown promises to be another great day of competition and we are again expecting high solo and band entries this year. Kingsville

Any pipers and drummers looking for something to do at the March break? - look no further! Here's an opportunity to sharpen your skills and kick off March Break by joining the one-day youth piping and drumming workshop on Saturday, March 14, 2026 . The workshop, which is being sponsored by the Niagara-Hamilton Branch of the Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario (PPBSO) in partnership with the Ontario Youth Pipe Band, will take place at the Scottish Rite, located at 4 Queen

Isn’t the Winter supposed to be piping & drumming’s quiet season? Not in Ontario - our branches are currently bustling with indoor activities and with further plans to keep us busy right through until the Spring. Meanwhile, bands are busy getting their repertoire ready for a new season that will be upon us before you know it. Board & Committee Activity Let’s start this update with what’s going on behind the scenes with your Board of Directors and the various committees. At o

Any PPBSO solo competitor or band wishing to apply for re-grading must use the designated form. Requests must be submitted by the following deadlines: April 13th for solo competitors March 31st for bands For more details check out the forms page HERE .

Remember to renew your membership by January 15th and avoid the surcharge. MEMBERSHIP DUES FOR 2026 Adults (16 years and over) Your membership fee for 2026 is due, starting January 1st. This can be paid online (renewing members only), money order, cheque, or credit card (Visa/MasterCard). This year, dues have been set at $65.00 (+$8.45 HST). Please observe that a monthly late-payment surcharge of $5.65 (.65¢ HST included) will be assessed. The following schedule details the

Please consider coming out to support your branch by competing or coming out to listen. Round 3 of the Ottawa branch knockouts is coming up on January 10th at the Junior Ranks Mess, 4 Queen Elizabeth Driveway, Ottawa. Registration is open until January 7th. For more details go HERE Round two of the Toronto Branch knockouts is coming up on January 10th at the great new venue of the Peel Police Centre, 7150 Mississauga Road in Mississauga. Registration is open until January 7t

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Thanks to everyone that came out to the AGM today. President, Malkie Bow, thanked the many people that help make the Society work so well and also for the efforts and dedication of all members during 2025. He also outlined some of the accomplishments for this past year and the priorities for the coming year. The number one priority for the Pipers' and Pipe Band Society of Ontario Board of Directors going forward remains, the support of initiatives and programs that emphasize

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For those that made it out to our annual gala to support our champion supreme winners, a big thank you! For the winners , thank you and congratulations again! Guelph PB performs An evening of music, camaraderie and celebration started off with some selections from London Firefighters PB (Grade 5 Champion Supreme Winners) and then a combined Guelph Grade 3 PB and Guelph Grade 2 PB (both Champion Supreme winners in their respective grades). Just before the champion supreme awa

The 2025 AGM will be held via zoom on Saturday 6th December starting at 10:00 am. Notices have gone out to all members. If you did not receive a notice please let Sharon know at admin@ppbso.org to update your information. All information about the AGM, including the agenda and link, is available HERE . As per our by-laws, for electronic voting, each member must be signed-in individually.

This symposium, which was a joint effort by the PPBSO and the BCPA, was held on Saturday November 1st. The streamed event was attended by over 100 teachers of pipes and drums from across Ontario and BC. It took place in Guelph, Ontario with the in-person attendees joined by many participants online. The list of very informative presenters included Alexandra Duncan, former Chair of the Scottish Schools Pipes & Drums Trust, who provided an excellent overview on the Scottish exp

It's official - congratulations to the bands and the pipers and drummers who have been upgraded for the 2026 season. Your hard work and dedication has paid off. Message from the Grading Sub-Committee The Grading Sub-Committee spent considerable time reviewing upgrades for the upcoming 2026 season. A total of 481 individuals were evaluated across piping, snare drumming, tenor drumming, and bass drumming categories. Thank you all for your dedication to your craft and for compe