The Northumberland Scottish Festival & Highland Games: A Day of Competition, Community, and Celebration in Port Hope
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The 62nd Northumberland Scottish Festival & Highland Games in Port Hope was a fantastic day from start to finish. The weather couldn't have been better, with warm temperatures and a cool breeze that kept everyone comfortable throughout the day. One of the noticeable improvements this year was the new band entrance, which made it much easier for players to move around the grounds and get where they needed to be quickly.
It was also great to see so many spectators and fellow musicians watching the solo competitions, cheering on their fellow competitors, and creating a supportive atmosphere. The strong turnout and the crowd's encouragement made for a great morning of solo competitions. To top it all off, Greg Bowen and Iain Dewar finished the morning tied for Amateur Piper of the Day after both had great performances across their events.
Overall Winners: Professional Piper: Ian K. MacDonald
Amateur Piper (Tied): Greg Bowen & Iain Dewar
Amateur Drummer: Troy Hamstra
Solo Judgs
Piping – Light Music
Michael Wm Grey
John A. Elliott
Hector MacDonald
Dylan Whittemore
Trish Kirkwood
Iain Symington
Chris Dodson
Kevin Maurice Dugas
Andrew Berthoff
Ellen Mole
Ross Brown
Piping – Piobaireachd
Andrew Berthoff
Amy Garson
Ross Davison
Alan B. Clark
Michael MacDonald
Michael Wm Grey
Ellen Mole
Snare & Midsection
Daniel Bist
Michael Hunter
Kahlil Cappuccino
The band competitions were busy all afternoon, with 25 bands making the trip from across Ontario to compete for top honours in Grades 1 through 5. It was also great to see the juvenile bands out on the field, with both the Glengarry Pipe Band and Durham Regional Police Pipes & Drums taking part in the Juvenile March Medley contest. The continued growth of the contest really shows the hard work both the bands and the PPBSO have put into supporting youth and building the next generation of pipers and drummers. Click here to learn more about our youth initiatives.
Also, a special mention goes out to the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band and the Ottawa Highlanders Pipes and Drums, who both had outstanding plays, winning best pipes, best drumming, and best tenor & bass.
1st Place Winners
Grade 1 - 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band
Grade 2 - Ottawa Highlanders Pipes and Drums
Grade 3 - Glengarry Pipe Band
Grade 4 - Durham Regional Police Pipes & Drums
Grade 5 - Smiths Falls Gordon Pipe Band
Juvenile - Durham Regional Police Pipes & Drums
Band Judges
Piping: Amy Garson, Iain Symington, Trish Kirkwood, Ross Davison
Drumming: Daniel Bist and Michael Hunter
Ensemble: John A. Elliott and Andrew Berthoff
We would like to thank the Northumberland Scottish Festival & Highland Games committee for all their support in helping make this another great event. Also, a huge shoutout to the judges, administrators, stewards, and everyone behind the scenes with the PPBSO who keep everything running smoothly so competitors and bands can focus on enjoying a great day of competition and camaraderie. If you're interested in volunteering with the PPBSO, click here for more information!
Photos: Nathan Nguyen