Denshaw Whit Friday Band Contest

On arrival. Each band informs the booking-in desk which piece they intend to play. The musical score of their piece is taken by a “runner” to the adjudicator, who sits in a position where he or she cannot see which band is playing.

The adjudicator listens to each band and marks them according to how well they have interpreted the score and how “together” they sound. At the end of the evening, the band with the highest score overall wins the first prize. Prizes are also awarded to the highest scoring bands in the various sections (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th), and to the best Saddleworth band, the best local band and the best youth band.

 

 

Not to be confused with “Strictly Come Dancing”, “Quickstep” simply refers to the quick step march each band has to play in the ring.

We don’t, until they actually turn up! The tradition of the Whit Friday Band Contests is that bands choose which villages they want to play in and when. The committee do not know who will be playing until we see the band disembarking from the coach. That helps to make the evening so unpredictable and exciting.

Having said that we obviously want to make sure that as many bands as possible choose Denshaw. So before the event the committee send out flyers and reminders to over a 100 known bands. We also work hard to ensure the night is enjoyable and well organized so the bands will want to come back to play in Denshaw.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answer is “No”. The contest is traditionally held on Whit Friday, which falls on the eighth Friday after Good Friday. As the date of Easter can vary from mid-March to Mid-April, it follows that Whit Friday can fall at any time from mid-May to mid-June

Is the contest always held on the same date?                                             

How do we know which bands are going to be playing?                                                          

Why is it called a “Quickstep Contest”?

How are the bands judged?

Email. -  Admin@Denshawcontest.co.uk