The band is attending the Conrad Whoop-Up Days parade this Saturday, June 5th, 2010.

We will be leaving from the Scottish Rite at 9am on Saturday morning.

Dress will be full battle dress with feather bonnets (bring your Glengarry in case of winds).

Weather permitting, the band will be participating in the Great Falls St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Those attending should meet at 3pm on the south side of the Civic Center.

The uniform is full dress including plaids. Please bring both feather bonnets and glengarrys as the conditions at the time of the parade will determine what head dress is worn.

The band showed up for the East West Shrine Game Parade last Saturday to great weather and a gathering crowd. We had a new associate member, welcome Mike!, show up as well and he fit right in (despite having a different colored kilt).

We started at 8th Street and Central and made the uneventful trip down to the Civic Center without incident. As this was the last parade for a while it was nice to see all the pipers and drummers that showed up and helped get the band up to a respectable size.

The band starting the trip down Central Ave during the East West Shrine Game Parade.

The band continues marching down Central Ave during the East West Shrine Game Parade.

The bagpipe band met at the Great Falls Scottish Rite at 9:30am, loaded up and then made the bus ride to Dutton to participate in Dutton’s Fun Days and the 100th Anniversary of Dutton.

The number of people in town for the 100th anniversary was impressive and the parade lineup appeared to be as long as the Great Falls 4th of July parade without the gaps. Luckily we were in the front, just behind the EMS vehicles and the cars carrying the Dutton celebrities. We made the trip down to the mud racing flats without incident and the band seemed to be playing very well. We then waited for all of the various parade participants to make it to that point and then made the return trip, up the hill to the starting point.

While marching past one of the bars on the main street, the band was invited to come and play in the bar after the parade. We then finished the parade, loaded up on the bus and drove back down to the bar. We played a few tunes for the crowd in the bar and a round of drinks was purchased for the band members by one of the bar patrons. After playing a few more tunes, we all loaded back up into the bus for the return trip to Great Falls.

The band lining up at the beginning of the parade. Photo by S Wagner.

The band marching at the beginning of the parade. Photo by S Wagner.

The band enjoyed the great weather on the morning of the 4th while marching from 8th Street to the Civic Center. Although the parade lineup had the band in middle, behind the dreaded ice cream truck, due to a very spread out parade we were able to get in earlier to avoid the hour and 15 minute wait we would have had to wait for our original position.

Overall, it was a great parade and everyone had a great time and many compliments were received on the walk back to 8th street. After the walk back,  the band enjoyed lunch at the Great Falls Masonic Temple.

The band steps off to start the march down Central Ave during the 4th of July Parade.

The pipers in the July 4th Parade.

The drummers in the July 4th Parade.

The parade in Fort Benton was held in beautiful weather and a great time was had by all who attended.

The band was able to field 8 pipers, two snares and a bass drummer.

After completing the parade r0ute, and giving a special performance for the retirement home parade spectators, the band made its traditional appearance at the Palace Bar.  After playing a few tunes and being rewarded with a drink on the house, the band members ate and then packed up to return to Great Falls.

Pipe Major Bill Vischer signals the drums for the end of a tune during the parade.

The pipers marching between tunes during the parade.

The drummers marching between tunes during the parade.

We will be marching in the parade this Saturday, 6/27/2009 in Fort Benton.

The bus will leave the Scottish Rite at 9:30 am. The line up starts at 10:30 am with the parade at 11:00am.

Uniform is Glengarry, white band shirt, kilt, belt with pouch, horse hair sporran, tartan hose tops, flashes and spats.

See you all there!