International Bagpipe Day Date in the current year: March 10, 2024

A bagpipe is a woodwind instrument consisting of a bag-shaped air reservoir and a number of enclosed reeds. Bagpipes are primarily associated with Scotland and its Great Highland bagpipe, but there are many different kinds of bagpipes that people have played for centuries in many parts of the world: throughout Europe, in West and South Asia, and North Africa.

Bagpipes are thought to have been common in Western Europe since around the 13th century, but certain ancient sculptures suggest that bagpipes or at least very similar instruments existed in ancient Greece and Rome. The earliest clear references to Scottish and Irish bagpipes date back to the mid-16th century. The first military pipe bands emerged in the early 19th century; they were tasked with keeping pace and morale on long marches with Scottish regiments of the British Army.

Due to their limited range, bagpipes began to fall out of favor in Europe as Western classical music developed. Their decline lasted into the 20th century, but some types of bagpipes have enjoyed a revival over the past decades due to their use in military orchestras in the UK and some Commonwealth Nations, as well as a resurgence in popularity of folk music and dance. International Bagpipe Day was created to contribute to the revival of bagpipes and promote this amazing instrument among the general public.

International Bagpipe Day was co-founded in 2012 by Andy Letcher of the Bagpipe Society and Cassandre Balosso-Bardin of the International Bagpipe Organization. The Bagpipe Society is a UK-based organization that was formed in 1986 to bring together bagpipe players, instrument makers, music teachers, researchers, and everyone who loves the sound of the bagpipes. The International Bagpipe Organization is an international platform founded in 2012 for sharing bagpipe music and studies of bagpipes on an international level.

On the occasion of International Bagpipe Day, pipers all over the world hold concerts, demonstrations, workshops, parades, pipe band competitions, conferences, and other events to promote bagpipes among the general public and bring together people with a passion for bagpipe music. Past events have taken place in Belarus, Greece, Iran, Nigeria, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and other countries.

You can celebrate this amazing holiday by attending an event near you, learning more about different types of bagpipes and famous pipers, watching pipe band performances on YouTube, listening to songs featuring bagpipe, signing up for bagpipe lessons, or even visiting the International Bagpipe Museum in the Spanish city of Gijón if you can make the trip. And don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #InternationalBagpipeDay and #BagpipeDay.