Brass band extravaganza - 'the greatest free show on earth'

Date published: 17 June 2011

With a total of £36,000 in prize money on offer, Wardle Anderson Band, Littleborough Band and Rochdale Youth Band were amongst dozens of brass bands, some world class, competing in the Saddleworth Whit Friday Brass Band Contests.

Described as 'the greatest free show on earth', the Saddleworth & District Brass Band Contests take place every year on the afternoon and evening of Whit Friday.

This year close to a hundred brass bands participated in the contests at venues scattered around the moorland villages and towns on the western edge of the Pennines - Denshaw, Delph, Diggle, Dobcross, Uppermill, Greenfield, Friezland, Lydgate, Grotton, Lees, Greenacres and Austerlands.

From the earliest recorded contest in 1884, the event has grown in popularity.

The contests are open-air, in beautiful hillside surroundings, and open to all-comers, so local youth bands get to match their skills against the top bands of the country.

The bands played two pieces (marches), one on the march and then their well-rehearsed show-piece on whatever passes for a rostrum. Each performance was scored 'blind' by an adjudicator, hidden in an adjacent darkened room or caravan.

Each contest offered prizes for the best band, best youth band, best soloists, etc.

We sent our photographer to capture local bands playing in the contests at Diggle, Dobcross and Friezland.