Easter means a lot of things to a lot of people, but in the town of Maclean it means highland gathering. Easter time is when Scottish pipe bands visit the town for the annual event.
This year marks the 117th event and the committee of the Lower Clarence Scottish Association are excited to see the event coming together. Moving on from the troublesome Covid years the town of Maclean is looking forward to seeing the old traditional format returning, when the visiting bands march through the main CBD centre of Maclean. This colourful sight and sound of marching bands on parade at 8.30am on Easter Saturday morning is an event not to be missed.
The Scottish Ceilidh on Easter Friday night at 7.15pm will return to McLachlan Park where the program will unfold with bands, dancing, and local and guest artistes performing traditional Scottish entertainment.
The main day is on Easter Saturday, April 16 at the Maclean showground. This picturesque venue opens with full day of activities, which includes pipe band contests, highland dancing contests, the popular highland sports and to close the day at around 4pm, the mass pipes and drums of the 117th Maclean highland gathering, is an amazing sight.
The committee has engaged international guest piper Stuart Easton from New Zealand to perform a piping recital at the Maclean Civic Hall, Saturday night at 8.15pm. Stuart Easton, one of the world’s leading exponents of the Great Highland Bagpipe and the finest New Zealand piper of his generation, is set to visit Maclean on 15 and 16 April 2022. Competitors come to Maclean to participate in one of Australia’s oldest and continuous highland events. Maclean is a must visit town over the Easter weekend. Further information can be found on the website www.macleanhighlandgathering.com.au or phone 0429 842 472.
Bob MacPherson