Bio

Proud ambassadors of Canada, the Province of Ontario, Brant County and Norfolk County, the award-winning Paris Port Dover Pipe Band has garnered a reputation for excellence - locally, nationally, and internationally.

Wearing the Lamont Tartan, the band has impressed audiences at parades, concerts, festivals, ceremonies, tattoos and competitions.  The band has performed at the Virginia International Military Tattoo (four times), Highland Games throughout Ontario, numerous stage performances in Port Dover, Paris and Brantford, the Marymass Festival in Scotland, the World Championships in Glasgow (twice), the Calgary Stampede, Mount Rushmore and the Crete Music Festival.  In addition, the band has performed with Sir Paul McCartney at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

Since the band's formation in 2000, it has grown rapidly from its modest beginnings of only ten pipers and one drummer to close to 120 members made up of pipers and  drummers from beginners to advanced level players.  

Competing in the international competition at the Calgary Stampede Parade in 2004, the Paris/Port Dover Pipe Band won second place over other more experienced bands in front of 35 million television viewers and 400,000 spectators.  The band also played at the Spruce Meadows Equestrian Centre by exclusive invitation and it became the first band to play at the Lake Louise Lodge by putting on an impromptu performance surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains.


The very first competition band became North American Champions as well as winning the Champion Supreme titles in Grade V in 2005. In 2006 the band was upgraded to Grade IV. In this grade they placed consistently in the prize list at the North American Games.

In 2006, the band traveled to France to play at the Juno Beach Centre celebrations in Normandy, and also played at the Dieppe ceremonies, continuing on to Scotland to play at the Marymass Festival.

In 2007, the Grade Four competition band traveled to Glasgow, Scotland to compete at the World Pipe Band Championships, bringing home the fourth place trophy.

In 2008, the new Grade Five band, which was formed in 2007, traveled to the World Championships in Glasgow where they played their way into an impressive second place in Grade 4b. They also won the North American Championship and, gained the title of Ontario Champion supreme for 2008.

In 2010, the Grade 5 competition band once again gained the title of Champion
Supreme.

August 2010 was a very exciting time for band members.  The Paris Port Dover Pipe Band had the opportunity to play with Sir Paul McCartney at the Air Canada Centre on August 8th and 9th.  Sir Paul was impressed by the professionalism and the quality of the music from the band.

A trip to Crete occurred in September 2010 when the band members were guests of the Greece Minister of Tourism and played performances and parades on the island.  These events were advertisements for the Crete Tattoo which occurred in September 2011. The PPDPB, along with some other bands from New Zealand and Scotland, entertained thousands of spectators.  

Mandate of Paris/Port Dover Pipe Band
The mandate of the Paris/Port Dover Pipe Band is: to act as ambassadors of Canada, the Province of Ontario, Brant County and Norfolk County while achieving excellence in the performance of Scottish music; to provide young people of any skill level with instruction in Scottish music and give them opportunities to play with the band; and to assist local service clubs and non-profit groups with their various ceremonies, memorials, parades, and events through band performances.

Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant
The Paris/Port Dover Pipe Band gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation.