*
banner

Spring Festival line ups announced

The runners & riders for the 93rd Spring Festival at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool have been announced.

Winter Gardens
 

The British Open Championship organisers have announced the full list of competing bands, conductors, test pieces, prizes and adjudicators for the 93rd Spring Festival which will take place at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens on May 11th this year.

Judges

The adjudication line-up includes David Read MBE, Frank Renton, Allan Ramsay, Adrian Morris, Simone Rebello and Lynda Nicholson.

The adjudication line-up includes David Read MBE, Frank Renton, Allan Ramsay, Adrian Morris, Simone Rebello and Lynda Nicholson4BR

Grand Shield:
Opera House
Test Piece: Red Priest (Philip Wilby)

First Prize: £800 and Grand Shield
Second Prize: £600
Third Prize: £400
Fourth Prize: £300

1. Aldbourne (David Johnson)
2. BTM (David Maplestone)
3. Co-operative Funeralcare Band North West (Jef Sparkes)
4. Flowers (Paul Holland)
5. Hammonds Saltaire (Morgan Griffiths)
6. Jaguar Land Rover (Dave Lea)
7. Kirkintilloch (TBA)
8. Marsden Silver Prize (Glyn Williams)
9. Milnrow (Mareika Gray)
10. Mount Charles (Simon Dobson)
11. Newstead Brass (Duncan Beckley)
12. Northop Silver (Thomas Wyss)
13. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Mark Bentham)
14. Redbridge (Jeremy Wise)
15. Rothwell Temperance (David Roberts)
16. Thorseby Colliery (TBA)
17. Tongwynlais Temperance (Steve Sykes)
18. Whitburn (Ian Porthouse)
19. Wingates (Andrew Berryman)
20. Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel (David Nesbitt)

*Two bands qualify for the 2013 British Open


Senior Cup:
Pavilion Theatre
Test Piece: Capriccio Italien Op 45 (Tchaikovsky arr. Derek M Broadbent)

First Prize: £600 and Belle Vue 100 Guinea Challenge Cup
Second Prize: £400
Third Prize: £300
Fourth Prize: £200

1. Ashton under Lyne (Simon Stonehouse)
2. Aveley & Newham (Melvin White)
3. Blackburn & Darwen (Nick Sheppard)
4. Bo’ness & Carriden (TBA)
5. Burry Port Town (Nigel Seaman)
6. Derwent Brass (Keith Leonard)
7. East Yorkshire Motor Services (Alan Morrison)
8. Felling (Stephen Malcolm)
9. Fishburn (Huw Thomas)
10. Freckleton (Paul Dalton)
11. Kingdom Brass (Bede Williams)
12. Lochgelly (TBA)
13. NASUWT Riverside Brass (Ray Farr)
14. Ratby Co-operative (Michael Fowles)
15. Skelmanthorpe (John Roberts)
16. Staffordshire (TBA)
17. Tylorstown (Gary Davies)
18. Unite the Union (City of Sheffield) (Derek Renshaw)
19. Wakefield Metropolitan (Michael Howley)
20. Woodfalls (Dr Nicholas Childs)

* Top four bands are promoted to Grand Shield


Senior Trophy:
Spanish Hall
Test Piece: Journey into Freedom (Eric Ball)

First Prize: £600 and Senior Trophy
Second Prize: £400
Third Prize: £300
Fourth Prize: £200

1. Camborne (John Berryman)
2. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) (Gareth Ritter)
3. Dalmellington (Archie Hutchison)
4. Drighlington (Jim Davies)
5. Easington Colliery (Chris Bentham)
6. East London Brass (Jayne Murrill)
7. Friary Guildford (Chris King)
8. Hade Edge (Simon Wood)
9. Hatfield Colliery (Graham O’Connor)
10. Jackfield (Elcock Reisen) (Simon Platford)
11. Laganvale (Metal Technology) (TBA)
12. Longridge (Mark Peacock)
13. Meltham & Meltham Mills (Norman Law)
14. Newtongrange Silver (Lee Skipsey)
15. Oldham Lees (John Collins)
16. Pontardulais Town (Paul Jenkins)
17. Sovereign Brass (TBA)
18. St Dennis (Darren Hawken)
19. Unison Kinneil (Craig Anderson)
20. Wantage Silver A (Phillip Bailey)

* Top four bands are promoted to the Senior Cup

Become a supporter and help make our future secure.

4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month.

Support us    


Fleetwood

Fleetwood back on demand

May 1 • You can enjoy all 32 performances from the recent Fleetwood Contest on demand


British Open

Live stream broadcast from Spring Festival

May 1 • All the action from the 104th British Open Spring Festival is to be live-stream broadcast this weekend.


Brass in Concert

Brass in Concert draws confirmed

May 1 • The draws for the 2026 Brass in Concert and Youth Brass in Concert Championships have been confirmed after being made in Linz.


Spring Festival

Final preparations in place for Spring Festival

April 30 • Bands and organisers are putting the final parts in place ahead of the Spring Festival in Birmingham.


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Sunday 3 May • St Alfege Church. Greenwich Church Street SE10 9BJ


Regent Hall Concerts - FiveBy5 Trumpet Quintet

Tuesday 5 May • Charlton House and Gardens. Charlton Road, . London. . SE7 8RE


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Friday 8 May • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Wardle Anderson Brass Band - Wardle Junior Blast

Friday 8 May • Milnrow Parish Church, 16 Westward Ho, Milnrow, Rochdale OL16 3JX


Regent Brass - Woodbridge Excelsior Band and Russell Gray

Saturday 9 May • The Salvation Army (Regent Hall), Oxford Street, London W1C 2DJ


Wellington Silver Band (Somerset)

May 2 • Bb Basses. With Colin Dance now appointed as our MD and our other Bb Bass leaving due to work commitments, we have openings for two Bb basses. We are a friendly community (4th section?) band with a variety of gigs including our own Proms in the Park.


Wellington Silver Band (Somerset)

May 2 • Tuned Percussionist. We are looking for a tuned percussionist to join our friendly community (4th section?) band. We have a variety of gigs including our own Proms in the park, charity concerts, fetes, (maybe contesting). Other brass players welcome.


Tintwistle Band

April 28 • Tintwistle Band are looking for a Soprano and front row cornet players to help complete our team.. We rehearse Monday and Thursday 8-10pm at our own bandroom on Old Road in Tintwistle, and perform a variety of concerts all year round.


Martin Heartfield

GGSM, ARCM, PGCE
Conductor, Adjudicator, Educationalist


               

 © 2026 4barsrest.com Ltd