National Pipe Band Championship opens with Napier parade

The main streets of Napier were filled with hundreds of spectators as the National Pipe Band Championships got underway on Friday. Photo / Paul Taylor

The main streets of Napier were filled with the sounds of bagpipes and drums as the National Pipe Band Championships got under way on Friday.

The championships, hosted by the Piping and Drumming Academy of Hawke's Bay with the support of the HB Caledonian Pipe Band and Napier Pipe Band, opened with a mid-afternoon march through the town.

NPBC organising committee chairman Kerry Marshall said it was a great start to the weekend-long competition.

The City of Sails Pipe Band making their way through the main streets of Napier. Photo / Paul Taylor

"Everybody has been enjoying themselves," he said of the hundreds of spectators.

Marshall was pleased to see so many young people among the 47 groups competing.

He thought it was a "special competition", with it likely the only Pipe Band competition this year due to Covid-19 restrictions in other countries.

From left: Dara Ballard and Alanna Book, of St. Andrews Christchurch, were among many youths taking part in the competition. Photo / Paul Taylor

It's also the first time the competition has been hosted by the region in about 20 years.

Two Hawke's Bay bands are competing: The Hawke's Bay Caledonian Band from Hastings and Lindisfarne College School Band.

The competition continues on Saturday with sets and medleys at the Mitre 10 Sports Park in Hastings.

The North Canterbury Pipe Band are among 47 groups competing at the National Pipe Band Championships. Photo / Paul Taylor

Marshall said he was most looking forward to the mace flourishing part of the competition which was "always spectacular".

Entry to the park will be a gold coin donation.

More details of the event are on the contest website, nzpbchamps.nz.