A busy month awaits the North Otago Highland Pipe Band. 

The group is performing a variety concert on Sunday  as part of the Waitaki Arts Festival and will then celebrate its 125th anniversary over Labour Weekend. 

To reach 125 years was quite a feat for the band, pipe major Hugh Matheson told the Oamaru Mail.

“An awful lot of pipe bands in smaller areas have just folded up or disbanded and then started up again later under another name — this one has carried right through.”

The band remains highly active and they came in second place in a competition at the Alexandra Blossom Festival last month. 

They are also a big part of the Oamaru Victorian Heritage Celebrations, Steampunk New Zealand Festival, North Otago A&P show, as well as Anzac Day and Easter, along with other events.

“We just like getting out and about locally here for the people,” Mr Matheson said.

“We enjoy doing it and I hope they enjoy us being there.

“They seem to and that’s what it’s all about.”

The band was in a good place, he said.

“I’m very pleased with our numbers.

“The only thing we’re lacking is young people.

“Although, we’re extremely fortunate, we’ve got three very young ones, still schoolkids, in our band and it’s nice to see them along and they’re certainly enthusiastic.”

It was “quite a diverse group”.

“You see a couple of mums who have got their kids playing with them and you’ve got two lots of brothers playing in the band so it’s quite a family thing in a way.”

Mr Matheson was excited to celebrate the milestone next weekend.

“It’s a chance for old mates to get together and just swap a few stories and let some of the younger ones know what happened earlier on.”

Past members had been invited with some even coming from Australia, president Rodney Elder  said.

“Anyone that’s around, they all seem to be keen on going.”

The band will perform at Jones Park next Saturday  and a tree will be planted in the Oamaru Public Gardens to commemorate the 125th anniversary with a plaque on the Sunday afterwards. 

The variety concert this weekend  will also feature highland dancing, a choir and the band will play with a brass band.

It will also be opened with a skit about the first meeting of the band which was reportedly “quite a robust meeting”, said Mr Elder.