One of our favourite free events in the North West is coming up this weekend – often affectionately known as ‘The Greatest FREE show on earth’. If you are thinking of heading to the Whit Friday Brass Band Competition around Saddleworth, Tameside & Oldham, you may find some tips in this post useful.
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What is the Saddleworth & Oldham Brass Band Contest?
11 villages across Saddleworth & Tameside play host to visiting brass bands from all over the country. Each band performs two pieces – One whilst street marching and the other, longer piece at an arranged spot – typically outside a village hall or band stand.
The bands can choose how many and which villages to play in but several bands try to do as many places as they can. If a band plays in six or more villages across Tameside or Saddleworth, they can be put forward for the overall area prize winner.
What date is the Whit Friday Band Contest ?
The Whit Friday 2025 contest took place on Friday 13th June 2025.
Whit Friday 2026, will be held on Friday 29th May 2026.
Whit Friday 2027, will be held on Friday 21st May 2027.
The Saddleworth Band Contest starts around 4pm with crowds starting to appear in each village from early afternoon.
Which villages take part in the Whit Friday brass band competition?
Delph, Denshaw, Diggle, Dobcross, Friezland, Greenfield, Grotton, Lees and Springhead, Lydgate, Scouthead and Austerlands, Uppermill – Each of the villages host their own individual competitions with some having different categories to enter i.e. Best marching band.
Is best to stay in one village or travel around?
Some people try to travel around several villages but most tend to stay put in one place and let the bands come to them.
Some villages are very close to each other so you may be able to walk from each. Diggle & Dobcross are very close – it would be easier to ask than to try to drive between them.
Many villages will have road closures for the event, making it difficult to guarantee you will get to a particular village before your favourite band appears.
There is no guarantee that a particular band will play in a certain village. Last year, many people stayed in Delph as they were hoping for a repeat of Chav Brass’ amazing party atmosphere from 2023, but they didn’t show.
Which is the best village to see the band contest?
This varies every year. If you are looking for a particular band, you may be best trying to find where they are at the start of the contest and guessing where they may go from there.
Later in the day, you will find that some villages get a backlog of bands waiting which will put other bands off performing there. They would rather go to one of the quieter villages and maybe get 2 performances in than chance a busier village.
The cut off time for registering in a village is 10pm. If you are in particular place, waiting for your favourite at 10pm & they haven’t registered in the queue, they aren’t coming.
How do you know if a village will have a lot of bands?
You can keep track of the waiting time by visiting the bands live waiting list on the Saddleworth Whit Friday website – This page is live on the day of the band contest. We waited on average 9 minutes between each band last year – it starts off slowly but then there was no gap between them as the day went on.
Last year, Dobcross had the longest wait early on. In Delph, there was a band every 9 minutes, meaning you weren’t waiting around for too long in-between. performances.
Which bands tend to take part in the Whit Friday contest?
There’s a band for everyone. You will see some of the best bands in the country:
- Black Dyke Band (of Ground Force fame – we played one of their pieces at our wedding 25 years ago!)
- Brighouse & Rastrick – Last year’s winners. They were completely brilliant!
You should also see many international/overseas brass bands – Last year we loved Australian brass band, Canning City Brass from Oodnadatta.
There’s opportunity to see the brass of the future with Youth brass bands like Dobcross Youth Training Band and Clock Face Brass.
And then there’s the novelty brass bands, many in fancy-dress. Don’t be fooled into thinking these aren’t serious talent though and no less musicians than the serious competitors. Chav Brass are supremely popular, with a cult following – many of them professional musicians from around the world. We were gutted to miss them last year as they didn’t play in Delph. I’ve heard that this year there is going to be a Barbie & Ken band!
What time does Whit Friday band competition finish?
Last registration is 10pm (10.30pm in a couple of villages if quiet) with the final bands having to finish at midnight latest. Any road closures re-open at this time.
What to take with you when watching the Whit Friday Brass Band Competitions?
- Comfortable Shoes – You are likely to be doing either a lot of walking or standing around.
- Cash – Some car parks are cash only.
- Chairs – You will need a camping chair.
- Umbrellas and sunscreen – The weather is VERY changeable in this part of the world.
- Food/Snacks & Drinks – There are some convenience stores but these get absolutely ransacked due to the volume of people.
- Power Bank – You will want to take lots of photos & videos – keep those phones charged.
- Layers – We were freezing at the start, roasting mid -afternoon then chilly again when it went dark. Lots of layers will make it more enjoyable.
Are there toilet facilities in the Whit Friday villages?
Depends where you are. There are several local pubs which will allow you access to the toilets – Only fair to buy a drink though to support them back. Many village halls will be open, serving refreshments & toilet facilities. You may find that many of these close around 9-10pm though.
Is the Whit Friday Brass Band Competition suitable for children?
Absolutely, yes! It’s a brilliant day for the kids (although there is plenty of waiting around so be prepared to keep them occupied). Many local children follow the bands as they are marching, which is lovely to see. Be prepared to keep them away from coaches transporting the bands in-between villages though – some of the villages road are extremely tight.
What sort of music do bands play on Whit Friday?
Be prepared to hear a LOT of Knights Templar! You are also likely to hear several renditions of Mephistopheles too.
The only rule really is that the street march must be performed to a published piece of music.
You are likely to hear many pop songs & musical theatre pieces filtering in too. Many travelling bands perform their own genres – The Scottish band we saw last year played a great
Where to park at the Whit Friday Brass Band Contest?
Again, this depends on the village. You may find on street free parking but this will be filled by early afternoon and more than likely involve a long walk to the centre of the village.
We got speaking to a number of people who had booked local accommodation in Saddleworth and surrounding areas & were living their best lives, being able to indulge in a glass or two of wine AND use their own toilets! Definitely one to consider and nowhere near as expensive as expected.
We would have definitely opted to stay over for the night in Delph to continue the party atmosphere but a busy weekend ahead and only just coming home from Lanzarote has meant we’ll have to think about it for next year instead.
What prizes do the bands win at Whit Friday?
There’s some big money to be won! The overall area winners get:
- 1st prize – £2,500
- 2nd prize – £1,000
- 3rd prize – £750
Other villages also offer their own prizes of up to £750. Youth brass band winners receive £250.
When did the Whit Friday Brass Band Competition start?
Rumoured to be around 1870 – so well over 150 years ago!
For a glimpse into the incredible Whit Friday band contest, check out our 2024 video of Whit Friday over on Youtube.
I love this! All the images are fantastic and you always have a brilliant time! Such an awesome event held in a beautiful place! Sim x