Antrim and Newtownabbey Pipe Band and Drum Major Championships 2026

The sound of competing pipe bands carrying across a walled garden is one of those experiences that stays with you. The Antrim and Newtownabbey Pipe Band and Drum Major Championships brings bands from across Ireland together in the grounds of Antrim Castle Gardens for a full day of competitive piping, drumming, and marching. Entry is free for spectators, the setting is genuinely beautiful, and the standard of performance is serious - this is a sanctioned RSPBA event on a regional championship calendar, not a casual display. It suits families, piping enthusiasts, and anyone with an afternoon to spend in good company outdoors.

What to expect

Bands compete across multiple grades, from beginners through to the senior championship grade, so there is a full spread of ability and ensemble size on show throughout the day. Alongside the pipe band grades, drum major competitions run concurrently - watching a drum major throw and catch a mace at full spin is its own kind of spectacle. The 2024 edition of this championship drew 44 drum major performers and 48 band performances, with competition running from around 11am through to a grand finale and prize-giving in the late afternoon. Expect a similar structure in 2026.

The backdrop is Antrim Castle Gardens, 350-year-old formal gardens beside Clotworthy House, a restored 17th-century manor. The gardens are well-maintained and free to enter independently of the event, so there is plenty of space to walk, sit on the grass, and watch bands warm up on the periphery as well as compete in the formal ring. The championships are organised by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Northern Ireland Branch and co-supported by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.

Getting there

Antrim Castle Gardens sit on Randalstown Road in the centre of Antrim town. Antrim railway station is a short walk away and sits on the Northern Ireland Railways line running between Belfast Great Victoria Street and Derry/Londonderry, making this one of the easier outdoor events in the north to reach without a car. If you are driving, free car parking is available at the gardens. From Belfast by road, Antrim is roughly 20 minutes via the M2/M22.

While you’re in Antrim

Antrim town itself is compact and walkable, with the Round Tower - one of the best-preserved early medieval towers in Ireland - a few minutes from the gardens. There is more to see in Antrim and across Co. Antrim.

Good to know

• Date: Saturday 18 July 2026
• Time: Competition runs from approximately 11am; prize-giving in the late afternoon
• Price: Free for spectators
• Venue: Antrim Castle Gardens, Randalstown Road, Antrim BT41 4LH
• Organiser: RSPBA Northern Ireland Branch - check rspbani.org for any updates to the programme
• The gardens are free to enter and worth an hour even outside the competition hours