Piping Live!, Scotland’s premier international piping festival, has officially concluded its 23rd edition, drawing more than 30,000 music lovers, performers and spectators from around the globe to Glasgow from Sunday 9 to Friday 14 August.

Organised by the National Piping Centre, with support from culture and sport charity Glasgow Life, Piping Live! transformed the city across a vibrant nine-day run, which was buzzing with traditional and contemporary pipe music, featuring a packed schedule of high-energy concerts, international showcases, hands-on workshops, and world-class competitions. People of all ages gathered to experience the festival’s main outdoor site at the National Piping Centre, while iconic local venues – including Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street, and the Barrowland Ballroom – hosted events throughout the week.

The festival officially kicked off on Monday, 10th August, with the annual Big Band showcase. Over 200 pipers and drummers marched through Glasgow’s West End to raise funds for this year’s charity partner, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, supporting research to find effective treatments for motor neuron disease (MND).

Throughout the week, festival-goers were treated to exceptional live music. Daily headliners at the Centre Stage included the Ailis Sutherland Band, the trio of Calum Stewart, Luc McNally and Sophie Stephenson, Gaelic supergroup Dàimh, West Highland favourites FRAS and Gary Innes & Ewen Henderson. Meanwhile, the festival’s experimental Ceòl Nua strand–supported by the Scottish Government’s Expanded Festivals Fund through Creative Scotland–pushed the boundaries of traditional piping, culminating in an immersive soundscape experience with In C // 20 Pipers at the iconic Barrowland Ballroom.

Leading up to the World Pipe Band Championships on 14 and 15 August – the pinnacle of the international competitive pipe band calendar, which is organised by The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association and delivered by Glasgow Life – performances featured artists from as far afield as the USA and Australia.

Highlights included the Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies Memorial Recital Challenge, which, for the first time, saw the winner be a tie between Callum Beaumont and Connor Sinclair, and the G1 Reeds International Quartet Competition, where People's Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band quartet took top honors. The Masters Solo Piping Competition title was awarded to Alasdair Henderson, while the hugely popular Pipe Idol competition for pipers aged 21 and under saw Andrew Zhao from the USA crowned champion in a thrilling grand finale. 

Proceedings wrapped up on Friday evening with a genre-bending finale at the Assembly at the Glasgow School of Art. Traditional-electronic fusion group MAL launched their debut album CBAD, alongside supporting act The Nexus Project, who showcased original Highland bagpipe compositions by Bede Patterson to close out the festival in spectacular style. 

Finlay MacDonald, Artistic Director for Piping Live!, extended his thanks to everyone who made the event a success: “It has been incredible to celebrate over two decades of our festival, in the National Piping Centre’s 30th anniversary year.

“Our packed programme featured pipe bands on Sauchiehall Street, an array of evening concerts including our big Friday night gig - CBAD - at Glasgow Art School Assembly featuring MAL and The Nexus Project. There was also a special strand of Ceol Nua programming across the week, supported by The Scottish Government’s Expanded Festivals Fund through Creative Scotland. The avant-garde, minimalist programme pushes boundaries of the instrument and its repertoire, and came to a head at the Barrowlands Ballroom for In C // 20 Pipers, which saw audiences immerse themselves in the instrument in ways we’ve never seen before.

“The team here at the National Piping Centre has worked tirelessly to deliver the festival this year. A huge thanks to all our sponsors, funders and supporters without whom Piping Live! would not be possible.”

Glasgow Life Chair and Glasgow City Council Convenor for Culture, Sport and International Relations, Bailie Annette Christie, said: “Once again, Piping Live! has delivered a fantastic celebration of the sounds of Scotland’s national instrument, showcased in both traditional and contemporary music that demonstrated the incredible talent, creativity and skill of pipers from Glasgow and around the world. 

“The varied and inclusive programme of the popular festival’s 23rd edition offered a diverse range of audiences the chance to experience all forms of piping, and the strong attendances are a testament to its enduring popularity and appeal.

“Glasgow is immensely proud to host both Piping Live! and the World Pipe Band Championships – two major cultural events that put our city firmly at the heart of the international piping community. Together, they highlight the passion for piping that extends far beyond Scotland’s shores. Every summer, these events bring thousands of visitors to our UNESCO City of Music, contributing to the vibrant atmosphere that makes Glasgow such a special place to experience music and culture. They are also a wonderful way to celebrate Scotland’s rich heritage while enhancing our city’s reputation as a welcoming and world-class cultural destination.”

Rebecca Edser, Head of Events at VisitScotland, said: “Piping Live! has once again showcased the talent, traditions and warm welcome that make Scotland such a distinctive destination. Bringing together performers, audiences and communities from around the world, it has filled Glasgow with energy and celebration.

“Shaped by the city’s unique character and spirit, the festival has provided a fitting showcase for our rich musical heritage and delivered an unforgettable experience for participants and visitors alike.

 “Supported through our International Events Programme, Piping Live! continues to be an important part of Scotland’s events landscape, generating benefits for local communities, businesses and the wider visitor economy. It is fantastic to see the festival continue to cement its place as a cornerstone of Scotland's events calendar."

Piping Live! will return next year from the 8th - 14th August. To learn more about the festival or to donate to support its ongoing programming, visit www.glasgowlife.org.uk/arts-music-and-culture/world-pipe-band-championships/the-worlds-biggest-week-of-piping, or donate directly here 

The World Pipe Band Championships will also return on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 August 2027. For more details, click here