Author: Peter Watson

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2017 Australia Day Parade

 

The Ringwood Highland Pipe Band will be marching as a part of the 2017 Australia day parade in Melbourne.  The parade starts at 11:00 AM from the corner of Bourke Street and Swanston Street in the city, and makes its way down Swanston street past the town hall and Flinders street station, over the Princes Bridge and finishes at the Kings Domain gardens.

The Australia Day Parade is a vibrant and colourful procession that sees thousands of people line the streets of Melbourne CBD to enjoy the entertainment and cheer on participants from over 90 community and cultural groups, in a proud display and celebration of our culturally diverse community.

This event immediately follows the Official Flag Raising Ceremony and is the only parade held on Australia Day morning across the nation’s capital cities.

Date:  26 Jan 2017 (Thu)
Arrival Time:  09:30 AM
Form Up:  10:00 AM
Step Off:  11:00 AM
Estimated Finish:  11:30 AM
Venue:  Melbourne City, Swanston Street
Meeting Point:  Swanston Street, between Little Bourke and Lonsdale Streets (Section 3)
Transport: Bus from band hall departs 8:45 AM
Status: Confirmed
Website: link

 

 

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Mount View Primary School Twilight Festival

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Mount View primary school is holding its Twilight Carnival on Friday evening of 11 November. Mount View Primary School is located in the Melbourne Eastern suburb of Glen Waverley. This diverse community includes families from Australia, China, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and more.    The popular Annual Carnival will feature a variety of enjoyable, family friendly, affordable activities.

An array of foods from different cultures will be available to delight the senses.  International traders will serve their tasty cuisine including paellas, souvlakis, curries, pizza, stir-fries, rice dishes, noodles, kebabs, ice creams and gelato.  The popular Parents Association Big BBQ will provide classic festival choices including sausages, and hamburgers.  The young and young at heart will love the fun food offerings of popcorn, fairy floss and snow cones.

The Carnival will feature over 10 major ride attractions, including the ever popular haunted house, Music Trip, Tornado, Giant Slide, Tea Cups, Fun Factory, Camels, Donkeys and more.

Lucky Jars and Chocolate Toss, home made preserves, second hand toys and more will be set up under the shelter on the Walden Oval. Local handmade product and crafts are available from the Twilight Marketplace.

The Market Place starts trading at 2:30 with the carnival entering full swing at 3:30 when the kids finish the school day.  The event  will culminate in a performance by the Ringwood Highland Pipe Band to close out the evening.

Date: 11 Nov 2016 (Fri) Start Play: 1930
Band Arrival Time: 1900 Estimate Finish: 2000
Band Meeting Point: TBA
 Transport: Own
Band Size: Mini
 Status: Confirmed
Venue: Mount View Primary School
 Website: link

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2016 Maroondah Festival

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Town Park will come to life on Sunday 6 November for the annual Maroondah Festival, presented by Maroondah City Council in conjunction with EastLink and Swinburne.

Now in its 27th year, Maroondah Festival is recognised as the largest free community event operating in Melbourne’s East.

The Festival provides a great opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate and enjoy a diverse program of entertainment and activities for all ages.

The festival provides free and low cost activities and attracts an estimated crowd of approximately 20,000 people on the one day. There are hundreds of free activities for all ages and interests. The Festival program is designed to encourage maximum participant involvement and enjoyment throughout the day.

Please come along and see the Ringwood Highland Pipe Band Perform at 10:25 AM at the MatchWorks Sounds of Maroondah Stage.

More details about the festival are available from their website. The day’s program contains lots of useful information too.

Date: 6 Nov 2016 (Sun) Start Play: 1025
Band Arrival Time: 0930 Estimate Finish: 1600
Band Meeting Point: Band Tent
 Transport: Own
Band Size: Full
 Status: Confirmed
Venue: Town Park, Croydon
 Website: link

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Great Ryrie Primary School Fete

The Ringwood Highland Pipe band will be performing at the Great Ryrie Primary school on Saturday 5 November.  There fete runs from 12pm to 7pm and there is sure to be fun and entertainment for all the family.

Come along and see the band play.

 

Date: 5 Nov 2016 (Sat) Start Play: 1300
Band Arrival Time: 1215 Estimate Finish: 1320
Band Meeting Point: To be advised
 Transport: Own
Band Size: Mini
 Status: Confirmed
Venue: Great Ryrie Primary School
 Website: link

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Ainslie Parklands Primary School Fair

A number of pipers from the Ringwood Highland Pipe Band will be entertaining the public this coming Saturday at the Ainslie Parklands Primary School Fair.  if you are in the area, come along and enjoy some traditional Scottish highland pipe band tunes.

Date: 22 Oct 2016 (Sat) Start Play: 11:45 am
Band Arrival Time: 11:15 am
 Estimate Finish: 12:00 pm
Band Meeting Point: To Be Advised Transport: Own
Band Size: 4-5 pipers
 Status: Confirmed
Venue: Ainslie Parklands Primary School
Hinkley Avenue, Croydon		 Website: Link
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2017 Victorian Competition dates announced

Pipe Bands Victoria have announced the dates for the 2017 competition season.  A summary of the dates follows:

3-Dec Daylesford Highland Gathering
1-Jan Maryborough Highland Gathering
11-Feb Scots Day Out Bendigo
26-Feb Ballarat Highland Gathering
19-Mar Geelong Highland Gathering (Includes Victorian Pipe Band Championships)
26-Mar Ringwood Highland Gathering
21-Apr South West Coast Piper Drummer Dancer
11-Aug World Pipe Band Championships

There is also an important change to competition this coming season for Grade 4 bands that may open the door for the Ringwood Highland Pipe Band to compete.

PLEASE NOTE – for the first time the Selection of Marches Contest will be an ‘active’ Grade Four contest element and Pipe Bands Victoria encourages those Grade Four bands who wish to compete but haven’t previously to take advantage of this new contest element and we look forward to seeing you participate. There will also be the usual Aggregate Contest (MSR & Medley), March Off Drill Contest, and Drum Major Contest (Solo).

 

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Chinese Lantern Festival

This event is The Chinese Lantern Festival which is held at the Central Ringwood Community hall in Bedford Park. It is aimed at bringing the local community together to share an afternoon of music, dance and food. The theme is EAST TO WEST and the Ringwood Highland Pipe Band will be involved to help the organisers achieve their aim : to bridge cultural gaps and to share and learn each other’s traditions and culture.

It is on 28th August ( Sunday) from 1 pm to 5pm. The band will perform at 2pm -2.15pm.

28 Aug 2016 (Sun) Start Play: 02:00 pm
Band Arrival Time: 01:30 pm Estimate Finish: 02:15 pm
Band Meeting Point: Band Hall Transport: Own
Band Size: Mini-Band
 Status: Confirmed
Venue: Central Ringwood Community hall Website: N/A

Continue reading “Chinese Lantern Festival”

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(Tentative) Manningham relay for Life

The Manningham Relay for Life volunteer committee currently looking for a marching band to invite to their Opening Ceremony this year and would love to know whether we are free on the date and able to perform. This event has over 300 participants and is a fun, friendly, community event that occurs every year. The overall event goes for 20 hours, with the Opening Ceremony at 4.00pm on the Saturday. Participants from all ages attend, dress up and enjoy the event.

 

Date: 10 Sep 2016 (Sat) Start Play: 4:00 PM
Band Arrival Time: 3:00 PM
 Estimate Finish: 4:20 PM
Band Meeting Point: To Be Advised Transport: Own
Band Size: Mini Band
 Status: Tentative
Venue: 123 George St, Doncaster East
 Website: Relay for Life
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(Tentative) Diamond Creek CFA Torchlight 75th Anniversary March

The Diamond Creek Fire Brigade has invited the Ringwood Highland Pipe Band to participate in its 75th Anniversary Torchlight March. Diamond Creek CFA is a fully volunteer brigade providing 24/7 coverage for both urban fire and rescue as well as bushfire response for Diamond Creek and the surrounding districts.

Marshaling from approximately 6PM, with dinner provided by the Salvation Army, which we are invited to join if we wish.

Date: 10 Sep 2016 (Sat) Start Play: 7:00 PM
Band Arrival Time: 5:30 PM
 Estimate Finish: 8:30 PM
Band Meeting Point: To Be Advised Transport: Own
Band Size: TBA
 Status: Tentative
Venue: Diamond Creek
 Website: Diamond Creek CFA

This is a competition march for which there are generally 12 – 15 brigades participating. There is likely to be an increase numbers this year, give our 75th. The torchlight is the culmination of the Diamond Creek Town Fair on the day, run by Rotary.

The route is downhill from St. Johns Anglican Church to either the traditional finish on the Diamond Creek oval prior to the fireworks display, a distance of approx. 800m (300m downhill and 500 m flat ground), or potentially a finish outside of the fire station. The latter is a further 300 – 400 m of flat ground, and crossing over rail tracks. Discussions are underway with the Police, Rotary and Metro to determine the feasibility of this latter route, given the rail aspect. At the completion of the march, we’ve been invited to join the brigade back at the station for supper, refreshments and the march awards ceremony.

The procession consists of the 12-15 brigades (hopefully more this year), in both senior and junior divisions. The brigades are interspersed with fire appliances as well as pipe bands and brass bands spaced to provide a reliable competition stride, whilst minimising music bleed from other bands.

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Signals Corps 90th National Reunion Nov 2016

Healesville RSL will be hosting the National Reunion of the Royal Australian Signals Corps from November 9th to 14th.  Some 350 plus will be attending.

The Ringwood Highland Pipe Band is participating in a Parade & Service taking place on Sunday November 13 commencing with a march from the RSL.

The Form Up Place will be advised, however at this stage, it may be in the Car Park of the Healesville RSL.  The Step-Off time is scheduled for 1200.  We need to arrive before 1130 hours to participate in a the March Briefing where the route will be clarified among other things.

Date: 13 Nov 2016 (Sun) Start Play: 1200
Band Arrival Time: 1100 Estimate Finish: 1230
Band Meeting Point: Healesville RSL car park
 Transport: Own
Band Size: Full
 Status: Confirmed
Venue: Healesville RSL
 Website: link