Unusual bagpipe occasions.

[Arlen]

Most people really only have bagpipes for set occasions... Weddings, Funerals, Scottish rites and Scottish events.

Last year my sister and her wife took part in a 10K run in Glasgow for a cancer charity.
Unusually and, I think, quite wonderfully, they had a piper playing every 1K.
It meant that as the runners got close they could count it off and hear the piper playing to spur them on.

I think that was a pretty great idea and it made me wonder if any of you guys have heard of pipers being used in 'outside the box' ways?

[JS Sanders]

I've piped at countless gigs that weren't funerals/weddings, or 'non-Scottish'...

These are what came to mind - there are plenty others....

- University commencements
- retirement parties
- art gallery exhibitions
- pub openings & events
- surprise birthday parties
- Store openings/promotions
- tradeshows
- golf tournaments
- sporting events
- Elvis Week
- charities
- dignitaries
- television
- St Paddy's

steve

[Jack Daw]

The most unusual place where I was hired to pipe was at a library. Honest.

SHSHSHSHSH!!!!

[MacDanar]

The most unusual place where I was hired to pipe was at a library. Honest.

SHSHSHSHSH!!!!

Haw!! That's awesomely ironic.

[BoldHighlander]

I remember at least once when visiting the grand opening of a local tea shop a few years back they had a piper outside the front door playing.

[BEEDEE]

We (The Scottish Heritage Society of Eastern NC) always have a piper when we are ringing the bell for the Salvation Army Christmas fund raising. And I've stood on the bow of my yacht at anchor and played the sun down.

Kincardine in Ontario has a piper play at sunset from the top of the lighthouse each night except Saturdays over the summer. It apparently commemorates a Scots family who were caught in a storm and fog while sailing up to Kincardine. The legend has that the father pulled out his pipes and played a lament which was heard by someone ashore. They replied with their pipes and this was enough for the boat to safely make it into Kincardine.



Brian

[Jack Daw]

Oh, my pipe instructor is the piper at the Annual March 6th Dawn Ceremony at the Alamo. John McGregor, a defender at the Alamo, was supposedly a piper and played during the 13-day siege. I have also portrayed John McGregor at the General Sam Houston Folk Festival each April.

Bill Jones at the Alamo

Me sans Kilt at Gen'l Sam's Fest, but that's the Rob Roy tartan in my waistcoat. I've since changed hats.

[ccga3359]

Occasionally there is a piper playing (busking) at a harbour when we're out on our marine rescue patrol. When I hear him as we're coming into harbour I always feel that he's piping us brave* mariners home. It may not be so unusual but I like to see him out and hear the pipes. It just adds to the atmosphere.


*Truth be known we're just stopping for lunch after blowing off 50 litres of fuel playing in the waves.

[highlander_Daz]

Ive piped at Heavey metal biker gigs with a heavey metal drummer, Ive walked the streets with leaflet distrubuters many times and marched through shopping centres, universitys, coffee shops etc.

[Sheep In Wolf's Clothing]

My Mum is a curling fan, and as long as I remember they have always piped in teams at the beginning of tournaments. (Oddly enough at the curling rink here, when my grandfather was curling, you were not allowed on the ice without wearing a Balmoral Bonnet)
Sara