The RSPBA has completed the draw for this year’s World Pipe Band Championships. Two hundred and fourteen bands will compete for the main titles at Glasgow Green on August 17th and 18th. Check out the draw for all other grades on the Saturday here. Twelve bands will go through to the final from the 22 entered for the Qualifying Heats in Grade 1. For the Friday in Grade 1 the running order of these heats is as follows:
Friday Grade 1 – Qualifier 1 MSR
1 11:00 Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia
2 11:10 New Zealand Police – New Zealand
3 11:20 St Laurence O’Toole – Eire
4 11:30 Simon Fraser University – Canada
5 11:40 Lomond and Clyde
6 11:50 Inveraray and District
7 12:00 Pipes and Drums of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
8 12:10 Glasgow Police
9 12:20 Johnstone
10 12:30 Buchan Peterson
11 12:40 Denny and Dunipace Gleneagles
Grade 1 – Qualifier 2 MSR
12 11:00 Police Scotland Fife
13 11:10 Scottish Power
14 11:20 Vale of Atholl
15 11:30 Canterbury Caledonian Society – New Zealand
16 11:40 Peoples Ford – Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia
17 11:50 Bagad Cap Caval – France
18 12:00 Manawatu Scottish – New Zealand
19 12:10 Field Marshal Montgomery
20 12:20 The Glasgow Skye Association
21 12:30 78th Fraser Highlanders – Canada
22 12:40 Dowco Triumph Street – Canada
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Friday Grade 1 – Qualifier 1 Medley
1 14:00 Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia
2 14:10 New Zealand Police – New Zealand
3 14:20 St Laurence O’Toole – Eire
4 14:30 Simon Fraser University – Canada
5 14:40 Lomond and Clyde
6 14:50 Inveraray and District
7 15:00 Pipes and Drums of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
8 15:10 Glasgow Police
9 15:20 Johnstone
10 15:30 Buchan Peterson
11 15:40 Denny and Dunipace Gleneagles
Grade 1 – Qualifier 2 Medley
12 14:00 Police Scotland Fife
13 14:10 Scottish Power
14 14:20 Vale of Atholl
15 14:30 Canterbury Caledonian Society – New Zealand
16 14:40 Peoples Ford – Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia
17 14:50 Bagad Cap Caval – France
18 15:00 Manawatu Scottish – New Zealand
19 15:10 Field Marshal Montgomery
20 15:20 The Glasgow Skye Association
21 15:30 78th Fraser Highlanders – Canada
22 15:40 Dowco Triumph Street – Canada
Admission for the Friday is free and qualifiers for the Saturday are announced as soon as possible at the end of the day. Those who don’t make it through are given free admission to the competition on the Saturday. Check out the draw for all other grades on the Saturday here. The full list of judges on duty at the Worlds is: 
Get tickets for the Worlds here.
The annual pre-Worlds parade of bands will take place on the Friday 17th August (the same day as the Grade 1 qualifier) from Glasgow’s Blythswood Square to George Square where all overseas bands will be welcomed to join the Lord Provost and other officials in the City Chambers for refreshment.
The arena set up for the 2017 Worlds will be similar to last year though an additional ring may be sought. If you can’t make it to the Worlds you can enjoy the music on your computer screen. As before, the Friday events will be filmed by the BBC and broadcast via the Glasgow Life website with the main event on the Saturday livestreamed worldwide via the BBC Scotland website.
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