The MacMillan Pipe Band will play today in Gaithersburg’s fifth annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade at the Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg, Md. The parade is presented in partnership with the Harp & Shamrock Society of Gaithersburg and steps off at 10:00 a.m. This is the band’s fifth appearance in this parade.
Photos from last week’s parade in Alexandria are available in the gallery.
The MacMillan Pipe Band kicks off its 2005 performance season with tomorrow’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Alexandria. This parade is produced annually by the Ballyshaners, and Baltimore’s mayor, Martin O’Malley, will serve as the parade’s grand marshal.
The parade steps off at 12:30 p.m. and marches south on King Street from West Street to Fairfax Street. Further info is available from the Ballyshaners’ parade website.
This event is Metro accessible: take the Blue or yellow line to King Street.
The MacMillan Pipe Band is already gearing up for next season with some exciting new tunes. There are only a couple of practices left before the new year–dates and times will be posted when they’re available–and we’ll be kicking it up a notch to compete in 2005.
If you’re interested in joining us, drop a line to contact at this domain.
The MacMillan Pipe Band is gearing up for one of its last competitions this season. Tomorrow is the Ligonier Highland Games at Idlewild Park just outside of Ligonier, Penn. MacMillan will compete in grade 3.
After Ligonier, the band will perform at the Shaker Forest Festival on September 18th and 19th. The band’s competition season will close out with the Anne Arundel Scottish Festival and Highland Games on October 9.
Practices for September 13 and 20 are cancelled. An updated schedule for the remaining practices between now and the Anne Arundel games is forthcoming.
Competing against three other bands, the MacMillan Pipe Band took second place honors July 24 at the Virginia Scottish Games in Alexandria; first place went to the Grandfather Mountain pipe band, who also won Best Drum Corps.
Corrections: This site erroneously reported that Ulster Scottish took first. The official Grade 3 results were:
- 1st: Grandfather Mountain
- 2nd: MacMillan
- 3rd: Ulster Scottish
- 4th: North Carolina State
Best Drum Corps also went to Grandfather Mountain. MacMillan was incorrectly declared the winner at the Games.
We apologize for any confusion.
The MacMillan Pipe Band is among many acts performing tomorrow at the 36th Annual National Capital Area Scottish Festival (NCASF). This marks MacMillan’s fourth appearance at the NCASF.
The NCASF is the annual fundraiser for the Rockville High School Pipe Band (RHSPB). All NCASF performers donate their time and talents so the RHSPB can retain all proceeds from the show.
RHSPB receives relatively little funding from the school system, and the NCASF proceeds help pay for instructors, building usage costs and other expenses. Band members are provided instruction free of charge. Many of MacMillan’s members are RHSPB (or Peary Hgh School Pipe Band before 1984) alumni.
The show will culminate in the traditional massed bands finale; RHSPB, MacMillan, and the City of Washington Pipe Bands will perform together.
NCASF is emceed once again by Ed Kitlowski. Other performers include the Scottish Country Dance Society of Washington; the Columbia School of Highland Dance, featuring accompanyment by Jason Barth; and Fynesound, making their first festival appearance.
The show starts at 5:00 p.m. at the Northwood Center, 919 University Boulevard West, in Silver Spring. Scottish foods and crafts are available starting at 3:30 p.m. For further info, visit the NCASF site.
The MacMillan Pipe Band kicked off its 2004 competition season on a high note, placing 2nd of four grade three bands at the Southern Maryland Celtic Festival. The band earned twos across the board, edging out Carnegie-Mellon University (3rd) and Lehigh Valley. Schenectedy took first place.
On a related note, the Rockville High School Pipe Band also took second place honors, but in the grade five division. Many of MacMillan’s members are alumni of Peary/Rockville.
The 2004 band season is well underway. Band practices resumed in early January and alternate weekly between Sunday afternoons and Monday nights. For more info, visit our practice information page.
Our first performance of 2004 was this past Saturday in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Alexandria. We are tentatively scheduled for two more parades this coming weekend:
The 36th Annual National Capital Area Scottish Festival.
For our full schedule of events, visit our calendar page.
The MacMillan Pipe Band took 2nd in the Grade 3 competition and 4th in the Mid-Atlantic Championship qualifier at the Colonial Highland Gathering in Fair Hill, Md. See the updated results page for judging details.
The MacMillan Pipe Band will compete in Grade 3 at the Colonial Highland Gathering in Fair Hill, Md., tomorrow. The Fair Hill games are one of the largest in the eastern United States and is host to the Eastern U.S. Pipe Band Championships. Further information on the games, including directions from various points, are available from their website.