The list of bands that will compete at the North West Regional Championships at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on February 28th have been released by the contest organisers.

78 bands will take to the stage in the five sections — up four from 2015, with the action starting at 9.30am in the Third Section.

Qualifiers

Three bands will make it through to the Royal Albert Hall from the Championship Section (two qualifiers plus the pre-qualified Fairey Band), with two in the First and Fourth Sections and three in the Second and Third making their way to Cheltenham.

Championship Section:
Opera House
Draw 1.45pm
Commence: After Second Section results
Adjudicators: John Berryman & Stephen Roberts

Ashton-Under-Lyne (Phil Chalk)
Blackburn & Darwen (Huw Thomas)
Co-operative Funeralcare North West (Jef Sparkes)
Diggle (Alan Wycherley)
Fairey (Garry Cutt)
Foden's (Prof Nicholas Childs)
Freckleton (Paul Dalton)
Leyland (Thomas Wyss)
Milnrow (Mark Bentham)
Oldham (Lees) (John Collins)
Roberts Bakery (Simon Stonehouse)
Wingates (Paul Andrews)

First Section:
Empress Ballroom
Draw 1.15pm
Commence: After results of the Third Section
Adjudicators: Colin Hardy & David Hirst

Bollington Brass (Peter Christian)
Eccles Borough (Mareika Gray)
Haslingden & Helmshore (Andrew Warriner)
Hazel Grove (Nigel Beasley)
Longridge (Mark Peacock)
Marple (Sarah Groarke-Booth)
Mossley (Duncan Byers)
Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Kevin Gibbs)
Poulton-Le-Fylde (Dave Collins)
Rainford (Gareth Brindle)
Silk Brass (Tony Wyatt)
Vernon Building Society Poynton (Neil Samuel)
Wardle Anderson Brass (Sean Conway)
Whitworth Vale & Healey (John Binns)

Second Section:
Opera House
Split Draw: 9.00am & 11am
Commence: 10.00am
Adjudicators: Mike Kilroy & David Lancaster

Besses Boys (James Holt)
Boarshurst Silver (James Garlick)
Cheshire Constabulary (David Woollam)
City of Chester (TBA)
Crewe Brass (Jamie Meredith)
Darwen Brass (Steve Hartley)
Delph (Philip Goodwin)
Eccleston Brass (John Wood)
Flixton (Jason M. Smith)
Golborne (Trevor Halliwell)
Haydock (Mark Quinn)
Hoover Bolton (Craig Mann)
Manx Concert Brass (Ian Clague MBE)
Middleton (Martyn Evans)
Old Hall Brass (John North)
Pemberton Old Wigan DW "B"(Michael Golding)
Tyldesley (Robert Taylor)
Uppermill (Alan Widdop)

Third Section:
Empress Ballroom
Split Draw: 8.30am & 10.30am
Commence: 9.30am
Adjudicators: Michael Fowles & David Roberts

Besses o'th' Barn (Phil Shaw)
Blackpool Brass (John Pearson)
Coppull & Standish (Matt Stringer)
Dobcross Silver (Tim Sidall)
Douglas Town (Robert Mitchell)
Eagley (Matthew Ryan)
Farnworth & Walkden (Matt Shaw)
Greenalls (Phil Boardman)
Greenfield (Tom Haslam)
Hawk Green (Neil Hewson)
Littleborough (Adrian Woodhead)
Lostock Hall Memorial (Phil Edwards)
Parr St. Helens (John Ludden)
Pilling Jubilee Silver (Len Charnock)
Rivington & Adlington (Malcolm Wilson)
Skelmersdale Prize (Karl Stott)
Stacksteads (Fred Bowker)
Trinity Girls (Ryan Watkins)
Valley Brass (Haydock) (David Chadwick)

Fourth Section:
Pavilion Theatre
Draw: 10.00am
Commence: 11.00am
Adjudicators: Steve Pritchard-Jones & Kevin Wadsworth

Blackley (John Atkinson)
BMP Europe Goodshaw (Josh Hughes)
Brindle (Keith Richmond)
Cadishead Public (Craig McFarland)
Denton Brass (Matthew Bailey)
Dobcross Youth (Richard Windle)
Formby (Louise Hough MBE)
Lees (TBA)
Manx Youth (Ian Clague MBE)
Rode Hall Silver (Nigel Butler)
Sale Brass (Alan Seymour)
Stalybridge Old (David Ashworth)
Stockport Silver (Ian Colwell)
Tarleton Brass (Gillian Bould)
Thornton Cleveleys (Stephen Craig)