City of Maitland Pipes and Drums host concert at Maitland Park

The band has put together a stacked lineup for the audience to enjoy completely free, featuring pipe bands from across the state, a vintage car show and shine, and Irish and Highland dance performances.

The pipe bands will compete in an exciting quintet competition, where three pipers and two drummers from each band battle it out to achieve the winning title.

City of Maitland Pipes and Drums secretary Greg Queenan said the highlight of the concert is the diversity of entertainment on offer.

"Of course pipe bands, Highland and Irish dancing, the grammar school is bringing their show band and rock band, and we're having a quintet competition and we've got eight entries so far," he said.

"We've got four Sydney bands competing, two from the North Coast, the mineworkers and ourselves."

The team to beat is Cessnock's United Mineworkers pipe band, who won the competition at the Maitland Tattoo 2022, but Mr Queenan said Maitland is in with a chance, after coming third last year.

The concert is for all age groups, Mr Queenan said.

"We've got face painting for the kids in the stall area, we've got this wide variety of entertainment, we've got a wide variety of food with local Rotary Clubs, the CWA, ice cream and cupcakes," he said.

"We've got some Celtic stalls this year, one is Celtic Thunder from Coffs Harbour and the other is Scottish accessories from Sydney.

"We're really looking forward to having a good day."

Pipe major Ian Innes said the thing that makes pipe bands so special is the culture.

"Everyone likes to watch the Edinburgh tattoo on television, and see the pipe bands, and there's nothing better than live music," he said.

"It's a unique instrument, it's a unique sound and it's the only instrument that's been declared a weapon of war," Mr Queenan added.

This year's concert is a warm up for 2024, when City of Maitland Pipes and Drums will host the East Coast Pipe Band Championships at Maitland Sportsground.

About 36 pipe bands will compete, bringing at least 300 band members to Maitland in a welcome boost for the local economy.

The action will kick off at 9.10am with a performance by Maitland City Brass Band, before the mass band parade at 9.30am, and official opening at 9.50am.

There will be non-stop music with Celtic flair until 3pm, when the mass band will fall out.

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