Spring has sprung – and so has Tartan Day celebrations, 2015

E. Division Pipe Band, Tartan Day, April. 2014

While our colleagues in the East are thinking about a possible end to a long and snowy winter, our thoughts on the west coast are turning to daffodils, cherry blossoms and spring concerts. And with International Tartan Day landing smack in the middle of this early spring, the RCMP E. Division Pipe Band is again planning to celebrate.

On April 25, at the Riverside Palace Banquet Hall in Richmond, the band will hold its 2nd annual Tartan Day ceilidh. For the past few months the band has been preparing a repertoire of music that will form the major part of the evenings entertainment. Drum Major Mike Guillemin, Pipe Major Hugh Peden and our new Drum Sgt. Gregor

Drum Major Mike Guillemin

Merry will lead the band through their paces. The professional dance troupe Shot of Scotch (Vancouver) Highland Dancers will also participate in the ceilidh with a number of performances. There will be a silent auction, whisky tasting and of course a full meal followed by dancing.

The ceilidh is the major fundraiser for the pipe band, and is a great evening of entertainment, camaraderie and Celtic spirit. Formal highland or tartan evening wear is requested. But if you don’t have a kilt, don’t worry. Bring a clan tartan scarf, tie or sash and

A great crowd and appreciative audience.

enjoy a great spring evening in the Lower Mainland while celebrating all that is great about our Scottish (and tartan) connections.

Tickets are $60 and can be obtained by emailing Brent Jette,  bjette@shaw.ca

Getting down to business in 2014: Suppers, concerts and tattoo’s.

The last Christmas lights have been taken down, the plastic Santa Claus and his elves packed away and the tree chipped into mulch. It’s time to get down to the business of 2014.

With the memories of Christmas and New Year starting to fade, it’s band preparation time for a very busy 2014, starting with the traditional Robert Burns Dinner celebrations at the end of January. This year the RCMP E. Division Pipe Band will kick off the new year on January 25 as part of the 2014 Tam O’Shanter Dancers Burns Night celebration at the Star of the Sea Community Hall on Pacific Ave., in White Rock. This is always an entertaining and enjoyable night of music and dancing, and will be the first public event for the E. Division Pipe Band in 2014.