*
banner

Spring Festival announce contest line ups

The 88th Spring Festival has announced the line up of bands for this year's Grand Shield, Senior Cup and Senior Trophy.

Winter Gardens
 

The line up of bands for this year's 88th Spring Festival to be held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on the 10th May have been announced.

Grand Shield:
Test Piece: Vienna Nights — Philip Wilby

FIRST PRIZE: £800 and THE GRAND CHALLENGE SHIELD
SECOND PRIZE: £600 and THE MIDLAND MUSIC TROPHY
THIRD PRIZE: £400 and THE SAXBY TROPHY
FOURTH PRIZE: £300

AVELEY & NEWHAM
B T M (PHS) BAND
BURRY PORT TOWN
FRECKLETON
KIBWORTH
LEYLAND
MOUNT CHARLES
NEWSTEAD BRASS
PENNINE BRASS
REDBRIDGE
REG VARDY
SOVEREIGN BRASS
STAFFORDSHIRE
STOCKPORT BRASS
THORESBY COLLIERY
TONGWYNLAIS TEMPERANCE SILVER
TREDEGAR
Virtuosi GUS
WINGATES
YORKSHIRE IMPERIAL URQUART TRAVEL


SENIOR CUP:
Test Piece: Elgar Variations — Martin Ellerby

FIRST PRIZE: £600 and THE BELLE VUE 100 GUINEA CHALLENGE CUP
SECOND PRIZE: £400 and THE JACK FEARNLEY TROPHY
THIRD PRIZE: £300
FOURTH PRIZE: £200

ALDBOURNE
ASHTON UNDER LYNE
BACTIGUARD WIRE BRASS
BESSES O`TH BARN
BO’NESS & CARRIDEN
BOURNMOUTH CONCERT BRASS
CWMAMAN INSTITUTE SILVER (TOWER COLLIERY)
DALMELLINGTON
EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES
FISHBURN
GLOSSOP OLD
JAGUAR {COVENTRY}
KINGDOM BRASS
KNOTTINGLEY SILVER
LINDLEY
PEMBERTON OLD WIGAN JJB
RATBY CO-OPERATIVE
SKELMANTHORPE
STOCKSBRIDGE
UNISON KINNEIL


SENIOR TROPHY:
Test Piece: An Epic Symphony – Percy Fletcher

FIRST PRIZE: £600 and THE SENIOR TROPHY
SECOND PRIZE: £400 and THE N.W.C.B.B.A. TROPHY
THIRD PRIZE: £300
FOURTH PRIZE: £200

BEAUMARIS
BLACKBURN AND DARWEN
CAMBORNE TOWN
CHESTER LE STREET RIVERSIDE
FRIARY GUILDFORD
LAGANVALE
MARSDEN SILVER PRIZE (OSSETT BREWERY)
MOSSLEY
NEWBRIDGE CELYNEN
NEWTONGRANGE
NORTHOP
OLD SILKSTONE
PARC & DARE
POWERFUEL HATFIELD COLLIERY
SOUTH WEST TRAINS (SWT) WOODFALLS
STAINES
UNITED CO-OP CREWE
UNITED NORWEST CO-OP MILNROW
WREXHAM BRASS
YORKSHIRE CO-OP

Become a supporter and help make our future secure.

4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month.

Support us    


Chinnor

New direction at Chinnor

January 17 • Chris Andrews takes the baton alongside a trio of new signings as the band looks forward to making its First Section debut at Stevenage.


webster

Wonderful response to charity concert

January 17 • A concert to help raise funds for a young family man with a close connection to the old banding world has already gained a wonderful response of support.


Review

4BR Review — Episode 14

January 16 • 4BR Editor Iwan Fox is joined by Chris Thomas and special guest Dr David Thornton to preview the 2026 RNCM International Brass Band Festival in Manchester.


Finalists

Final beats made ahead of NYBBGB Conducting Final

January 16 • Ammal Bhatia, Megan Bousfield, Tommy Tynan and Joey Wong will head to Tidworth Garrison Theatre in Wiltshire with the aim to become the winner of the prestigious event supported by British Army Music.


Newstead Brass - Brett Baker

Saturday 17 January • St Wilfrid's Church, . Kirkby-in-Ashfield NG17 8LA


The Hepworth Band - New Year Concert

Sunday 25 January • Christ Church, New Mill, Holmfirth HD9 7ER


Contest: Norwegian National Brass Band Championships

Friday 6 February • Grieghallen, Bergen, N-5015 N-5015


Contest: Norwegian National Brass Band Championships

Saturday 7 February • Grieghallen, Bergen, N-5015 N-5015


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Friday 27 February • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


East London Brass

January 16 • CORNET PLAYER - looking ahead to the 2026 contest season, ELB are looking for a cornet player to complete our line up. The band is ambitious and keen to further our successful 2025 season of winning the areas and promotion at spring festival.


Enderby Band

January 16 • Following our 2nd place finish at the LBBA winter contest and recent promotion to the Senior Cup for the 2026 Spring Festival, we are looking for a SOLO CORNET, a BBb BASS and PERCUSSIONISTS to complete our friendly and hardworking team.


Petworth Town Band

January 15 • Petworth Town Band have vacancies for CORNETS, BASS TROMBONE and TUBA. We are a very active band with concerts and engagements planned throughout the year.


Stephen Phillips

MA, BA (Homs), PQSI, NPQH, PGCE
Conductor, Band Trainer, Educator, Compere


               

 © 2026 4barsrest.com Ltd