Bohemia’s bagpipe festival in pictures
Q: Where is the International Bagpipe Festival held?
(a) Edinburgh, Scotland.
(b) London, England.
(c) Britanny, France.
(d) an obscure industrial town in the Czech Republic.
If you answered (d) you are correct. Every two years the International Bagpipe Festival draws pipers from all over Europe — and occasionally from as far away as New Zealand — to Strakonice, a small town about 120km south of Prague in the Czech Republic.
More than 1100 musicians from 14 countries took part in the 2016 festival, playing bagpipes on seven stages as well as street corners, pubs and parks for four days.
These photos, I hope, capture a little of the action and atmosphere, but you’ll just have to imagine the din. The next festival is due to be held in August 2022.
