Kilt up for a day of pipes, pride at the Highland Gathering
Have you brushed up on your Highland fling? Iron your kilts, brush up on your bag-piping and bring your family to Hutchison Park for the event of the year on May 3.
Visitors and those from far and wide get a wee break from the regular day-to-day for a full day of whims and wonders of Scottish heritage, mixed in with Amanzimtoti charm.
For the great Highland bagpipe, there can be no rest between notes and as such, it takes passion and fierce pride to echo the power of the pipes. The Amanzimtoti Lions Club introduced some of the pipe bands whose dynamic performances underscore the Highland Gathering.
The Johannesburg-based African Skye Pipe Band returns to the greens of Hutchison Park, competing as not one, but two powerful units in both Grades Three and Four. Their dynamic performances bridge the gap between African roots and Scottish tradition. If you hear thunder on the horizon, it's probably African Skye warming up.
With roots dating all the way back to 1943, the Jeppe Pipe Band holds the title of Johannesburg's oldest school pipe band. The band plays formal parades, moving memorials, live concerts and community events, each echoing the power of pipes that echo through generations.
South Africa's oldest pipe band, the Drums and Pipes of the Cape Town Highlanders, was founded in 1889, with a legacy rooted in military tradition, much like those of the Highland Games in Scotland's rich history. The band is made up of South African Reserve Force volunteers and civilians. Most notably, the band has played for Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday.
Durban Caledonian Society Pipe Band is a relatively new band, however, they have been a regular sight and sound at concerts, events and competitions across the country. Their Grade Four band will be collaborating with the Pietermaritzburg Pipe Band under the banner of the KZN Callies Pipe Band, making their debut performance at this year's gathering.
If you'd like to listen to the powerful tunes of the bands and be a part of the spectacle, tickets for adults are R60, pensioners and learners pay R40 and entrance is free for six years and younger. Parking tickets are R30. For more information on how to purchase tickets, sponsor the event, updates or for an opportunity to win entry tickets, visit the Lions Club of Amanzimtoti – Home of the Highlands Gathering Facebook page, contact 072 767 7833 or email info@highlandgathering.co.za.
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