All Pipe Bands Compete on Grass

The Portland Highland Games takes seriously its commitment to provide first-class venues for each competitive event. At most Highland games, including the World Pipe Band Championships in Scotland, the pipe band competition is on grass. Portland Highland Games is adopting this standard used worldwide.

The track in front of the grandstands at Mt. Hood Community College has never been an ideal location for the pipe band competition. The change from sun to shade adversely affects the carefully tuned bagpipes and larger pipe bands cannot form a circle without having part of the band in the sun and part of it in the shade.

In order to resolve the long-standing concern and to provide optimum conditions for the pipe band competition, in 2010 the competition circle for Grades 1 and 2 was moved to the grass. The feedback from an audience survey and from pipe bands was so favorable that it was decided to move the entire band competition to the grass this year. Several of the bands competing will be fine-tuning their performances for the World Pipe Band Championships in August.

The Portland Highland Games is one of the few games where spectators are invited onto the field to hear and view the pipe band competition close up. Spectators wishing to remain seated in the grandstand will still be able to enjoy the excitement of the event.