Five bands will perform at this year’s Saline Celtic Festival. These bands represent the best in Michigan and generally place in the top positions in local competitions such as the games at Alma, MI and the St. Andrew’s games in Livonia, MI. Grade 1 is highest ranking and Grade 5 the lowest. Detroit Caledonian (a merger primarily of Ann Arbor Pipes and Drums and Red Thistle Pipe Band) is ranked in Grade 4 and the most competitively oriented of those at the Festival.  Ann Arbor Pipes and Drums won the Saline Celtic Festival band competition in 2009.  The remaining bands are all Grade 5 and include: Cabar Feidh Pipes and Drums (Royal Oak, MI); Glen Erin Pipe Band (Lansing, MI); Grand Rapids and District Pipe Band (Grand Rapids, MI); and the Kalamazoo Pipe Band (Kalamazoo, MI).  Most pipe bands, especially those not specifically geared towards competition classify as Grade 5. Cabar Feidh and Grand Rapids routinely finish in the top three in regional competitions, and are all excellent pipe bands. 

The bands are scheduled to perform from 12:30 pm until 3:40 pm.  They will each have a 15-minute slot to perform a five-minute judged competition set.  Later Saturday afternoon, each band will perform a twenty-minute concert set.  The piping circle will be held in the mid-field Festival grounds, near the Piper's Pub beer tent, past the athletic fields.

For more information, contact Tom Todd.