Prairie Piping Amateur Invitational Event

The 2026 Prairie Piping Invitational this year features top amateur pipers playing entertaining tunes in a free-for-all event that always provides a great night of piping. Sponsored by The City of Regina Pipe Band, McCallum Bagpipes, R.G. Hardie Bagpipes and Reelpipes.com.

Prizes include a Kintyre blackwood practice chanter [McCallum Bagpipes], a Peter Henderson Heritage blackwood practice chanter [R.G. Hardie], and a Duncan MacRae half-blackwood practice chanter [Reelpipes.com].

Date: May 15, 2026 [Friday at 7:00pm, music starts at 7:30]

Where: Hotel Saskatchewan, Regency Ballroom

Cost is just $10 advance [buy online] or $15 at the door!

2025 PPI PROGRAM

2026 Invitees:

Greg Bowen, Waterloo, Ontario

Glen-mary Christopher, Coronach, Saskatchewan

Jonathon Kalyn, Calgary, Alberta

Abby Long, Houston, Texas

Brady Webb, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

TBA

See player bios

2026 Adjudicator: Andrew Smith, Calgary

Andrew Smith is a three-time World Champion piper and accomplished professional soloist with a long and distinguished record in both solo and pipe band competition. He has performed with several of the world’s leading bands, including Simon Fraser University, Alberta Caledonia, Rocky Mountain, St. Thomas Alumni, and North Stratton, and his competitive achievements include World Championship titles in both Grade 1 and Grade 2, together with North American and American Championship honours.

In solo competition, he was twice invited to the Livingston Invitational, is an eight-time Alberta Provincial Champion, and earned numerous prizes on the British Columbia circuit. He is also widely respected as a piping educator, having taught hundreds of students and instructed at both Piping Hot Summer Drummer and Sound Advice. Beyond the competition platform, he has appeared with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Calgary Opera, where he currently serves as Director of Marketing and Communications.

2026 Requirements: players will play theb Urlar of a piobaireachd without tuning when they take the stage, then will have 3 minutes to re-tune drones before playing a 4-6 minute selection of their own choice. Players are adjudicated on the medley only for the main prize, and there will a separate award for the Urlar.

Audience Ballot: Audience members will each have one ballot to vote for the “Crowd Favourite,” and piper with the most votes will receive a special prize donated by Reelpipes.com