Marcia Chase was one of the lucky Barbadians to have a picture with Kenny MacIntyre.
Drum Major, Detective Marv Lange, standing next to Inspector David Codrington while he conducts the bands.
Pipes and Drums of the Edmonton Police Service members as they march through The City during the ‘Pipers and Massed Bands Parade’.
Musical delight takes place in Bridgetown
The four-day Celtic Festival Barbados 2017 is in full swing and city shoppers were treated yesterday to a ‘Pipers and Massed Bands Parade’.
Not an everyday occurrence in Bridgetown, it was welcomed by scores of onlookers, many of whom paused while traversing the stretch from the General Post Office to National Heroes Square to view the bands as they marched by.
The music playing was enjoyable and the crowd, especially persons gathered along upper Broad Street, used various electronic devices to capture the moment. The instrumental selections ranged from calypsos, which were played by the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) band and the Cadets band, to bagpipe and drum music, which were played by the visiting, Pipes and Drums of the Edmonton Police Service.
The songs seemed to get even sweeter once the bands reached National Heroes Square. There, with the warm sun overhead, the local and international groups combined forces and the end result was music to the ears. Standing neatly in their rows, they were led by Inspector David Codrington who stood next to Drum Major, Detective Marv Lange as they played.
Following this presentation, Lange informed members of the public that they could take photographs with members of Pipes and Drums of the Edmonton Police Service who, like members of the RBPF band and the Cadets band, were dressed in their full regalia.
In a brief interview at the conclusion of the event, Lange told The Barbados Advocate that he was enjoying his trip to the island. He also said that there was “a lot of camaraderie ” among the bands.
“It has actually been interesting. It is my first time to Barbados and this is all a brand new experience of sorts – the way things are set up here – and it has actually been a lot of fun,” he added.
He explained that 18 members of the band, which included the “pipers, drummers and myself, the Drum Major”, participated in the day’s Parade.
He further said that the band originated from Edmonton Alberta, Canada, and it comprises individuals who “are either police military, retired police or retired military.”
The Celtic Festival Barbados which began on Friday, May 26 will conclude tomorrow, on Monday, May 29.