Can't fly to Scotland this summer to see the Grade 1 SFU Pipe Band (SFUPB) try to clinch gold again at the World Pipe Band Championships?
Not to worry. You can hear their competition material at the 81st annual BC Highland Games and Scottish Festival, held on Saturday at Coquitlam Town Centre Park.
Coquitlam's Terry Lee, SFUPB pipe major, said he and the six-time world titleholders will use the Coquitlam festival as a kind of dress rehearsal for the international event.
They are up against one contender at the Highland Games: Port Coquitlam's Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band, which last year placed eighth at the Worlds and is also headed to Scotland this summer.
The Coquitlam festival "is our major local competition. It brings to us a sizeable local crowd, which is kind of fun playing in front of," Lee said.
SFUPB, which last year ranked third at the Worlds, has been performing at the BC Highland Games since the band's inception 32 years ago; Lee himself has been piping at the Games since the age of 10.
A traditional Scottish festival, the BC Highland Games sees hundreds pipers, drummers, Highland dancers and Caber tossers from B.C., Washington State and Oregon.As well, there are children's activities, entertainment, a British antique car show, sheep dog trials, a haggis hunt, and beer and whiskey tasting.
"Every year seems to get bigger and better," Lee remarked.
But the Grade 1 pipe band won't be the only SFU entry. Also competing will be the younger pipers part of the Robert Malcolm Memorial (RMM) Band, of which its Grade 3A band - headed up by Coquitlam's Rob Menzies - scored first place at the Worlds last year. And Lee said because it holds the top prize globally, it has been "promoted" to Grade 2 for the Coquitlam festival.
As well, SFU's RMM Grade 4 band that placed third at the Worlds will competing in Coquitlam as well as the RMM entry-level Grade 5 group.
Meanwhile, Lee said all SFU pipe bands are headed to Glasgow Green on Aug. 17 and 18 (to help pay for their travel costs, visit sfupipeband.com).
Sponsored in part by The Tri-City News, the 81st annual BC Highland Games and Scottish Festival at the Percy Perry Stadium in Town Centre Park (off Pinetree Way) runs on Saturday, June 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the official opening at noon. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and $5 for kids aged six to 12. For more information, visit www.bchighlandgames.com.
The 15 pipe bands that will compete at Saturday's BC Highland Games in Coquitlam (see them parade at 4:30 p.m.):
Grade 1 (top level)
Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, Burnaby
Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band, Port Coquitlam
Grade 2
Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band, Burnaby
Portland Metro Pipe Band, Portland, Oregon
Grade 3
Greighlan Crossing Pipe Band, Maple Ridge
Columbia Regional Pipe Band, Kennewick, Washington State
Grade 4
Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band, Portland, Oregon
Northwest Junior Pipe Band, Shoreline Washington State
Keith Highlanders Pipe Band, Seattle Washington State
Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band, Burnaby
White Spot Pipe Band, Surrey
Kamloops Pipe Band, Kamloops
Seaforth Highlanders Pipe Band, Vancouver
Grade 5 (entry level)
Fraser Valley Pipe Band, Chilliwack
Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band, Burnaby
The mainstage lineup:
10:00 a.m.: Origami Rhythmics
10:30 a.m.: Shot of Scotch
11:00 a.m.: Inverary Dancers
11:20 a.m.: Bob Collins
11:50 a.m.: Guest band
12:00 p.m.: Introduction of dignitaries
12:10 p.m.: Fraser Highlanders
12:20 p.m.: Fiddlin' Frenzy
1:10 p.m.: Dance Scottish
1:30 p.m.: The Streels
2:10 p.m.: Royal Scottish Country Dance Society demo team
2:30 p.m.: Bob Collins
3:15 p.m.: The Streels
4:00 p.m.: Haggis Hunt Award
4:15 p.m.: Grade 2 pipe band competition
Grade 1 pipe band competition
Massed bands
