The popular Rochdale Contest run by the North West Area Brass Bands Association (NWABBA) will be held at Wardle Academy, Rochdale (OL12 9RD) on Saturday 12th October.

24 bands will compete across four sections, with the highest placed band in the combined Championship & First Section not already part of the 2025 British Open Spring Festival, gaining an invitation to compete at the Senior Trophy on May 10th.

9.30am start

The day will commence at 9.30 with the Fourth Section followed by the Third and Second. The will directly after each other. The adjudicator is Sarah Groarke-Booth. The results are expected around 1.00pm.

The joint Championship & First Section is scheduled to start at 3.00pm. Results are expected at around 7.00pm. It will be adjudicated by Mike Kilroy

Entry

Entry for the day is £10 (under 16s free) tickets on the door cash or card payment accepted.

There is a wide range of test pieces to be heard throughout the day (20 different works in fact) — from 'The Aeronauts' by Goff Richards to 'Trittico' by James Curnow.

Championship & First Section:

Adjudicator: Mike Kilroy

City of Bradford (Lee Skipsey)
Easington Colliery (Graeme Tindall)
Hade Edge (John Collins)
Horbury Victoria (Duncan Beckley)
Jackfield (Simon Platford)
Longridge (Mark Peacock)
Meltham & Meltham Mills (Tom Haslam)
Newstead (Martin Heartfield)
Tyldesley (Neil Samuel)
Unite the Union (Jonathan Beatty)
Whitworth Vale & Healey (Mike Golding)

Second Section:

Adjudicator: Sarah Groarke-Booth

Diggle (Sean Conway)
Pilling Jubilee Silver (Joshua Hughes)
Uppermill (James Garlick)
Vernon Building Society (Poynton) (Adam Delbridge-Smith)

Third Section:

Adjudicator: Sarah Groarke-Booth

Darwen (Matt Balsom)
Dobcross Silver (Jason M. Smith)
Thornton Cleveleys (Steve Tarry)

Fourth Section:

Adjudicator: Sarah Groarke-Booth

Blackley (Karl Stott)
Brindle (Stephen Hartley)
Linthwaite (Tony Robertson)
Littleborough (TBC)
St John's Band (Mossley) (Martin Gernon)