Colossal Clansman 23ft mural heralds return of piping festivals

A 23ft fabric piper mural has popped up in Glasgow Green to announce the return of two of the world's biggest piping festivals to the city later this year.

The Colossal Clansman, created by artist Bruno Gallagher, was produced to showcase the Piping Live! Glasgow International Piping Festival and the World Pipe Band Championships.

The festivals will see more than 50,000 music fans, families and tourists descend on Glasgow to see 200 events and 8,000 performers between August 7 and 13.

A total of 23 bands will participate in Piping Live! and 21 will compete in the grade one qualifiers of the World Pipe Band Championships.

The programme showcases acts from Estonia, Argentina, Canada, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Australia and Italy as well as performances from Peatbog Faeries, Battlefield Band and Tejedor.

Roddy MacLeod, festival director of Piping Live!, said: "Last year's festival was all about celebrating bagpipes being at the heart of life's moments that matter and this certainly resonated with people as we celebrated a record-breaking number of attendees at Piping Live!

"As well as selling more tickets than ever before, the festival had an economic impact of £2.3 million to Glasgow, which is just incredible.

"This year we are continuing to celebrate how piping and its music brings people together, with a diverse programme of events gathering the world's best pipers and traditional musicians to the city.

"There really is something for everyone at Piping Live! - so make sure you come along and help make 2017 another record year for the festival."