Ballymena, UK - August 31st, 2024:  Rasharkin Pipe Band leaving the field on return leg of Royal Black Institution Co. Antrim last Satuday parade.
🎵 5TH ANNUAL

AMERICAN GRADE 5
NATIONAL PIPEBAND
CHAMPIONSHIP

More Prize Money than the 2024 World Championship!

"...Bagpipes, because Europe wasn't liberated by French horns..."

$1,500

First Place Prize Money

4

Prize Places Awarded

MWPBA

Champion Supreme Points

Why This Championship Matters

More Prize Money.
More Glory.

The 2024 World Pipe Band Championships offered $1,200 USD for first place in Grade 5. We're offering $1,500—plus prize money through 4th place. This is the most lucrative Grade 5 competition in North America.

Scotfest 2026 also serves as an MWPBA Champion Supreme Points Event for both bands and solo competitors, making it a must-attend competition for anyone serious about their piping and drumming career.

Championship Prize Breakdown:

🥇 1st Place $1,500
🥈 2nd Place Prize Money
🥉 3rd Place Prize Money
4th Place Prize Money
REGISTER YOUR BAND

What's Included

Grade 5 Pipeband Competition

National championship level competition with the best Grade 5 bands in America

Solo Piping & Drumming

Full amateur solo piping event with multiple competition categories

MWPBA Supreme Points

Earn maximum points toward your seasonal standings

Massed Bands Ceremony

All competing bands perform together in spectacular finale

Weekend Schedule

Two full days of piping and drumming excellence

SAT

Saturday

Competition Day

9:00 AM

Solo Piping Competitions Begin

Amateur pipers compete across multiple categories

10:00 AM

Solo Drumming Competitions

Snare, tenor, and bass drum competitions

12:00 PM

Massed Bands Opening Ceremony

All competing bands march together - spectacular sight!

1:00 PM

Grade 5 National Championship

The main event! Bands compete for $1,500 first prize

4:30 PM

Awards Ceremony with Massed Bands

Winners announced followed by celebratory performance

SUN

Sunday

Roaming Performances

Bands and individual pipers roam the festival grounds throughout the day, providing spontaneous performances that create an authentic Scottish atmosphere.

What to Expect:

  • Random pipe band performances throughout the grounds
  • Solo pipers creating authentic Scottish ambiance
  • Perfect for photos and experiencing Celtic culture
  • Lifetime memories of Scotland's most iconic sound

"There's nothing quite like hearing bagpipes echo across the festival grounds. It transforms the whole atmosphere." - Festival Attendee