Uppermill Whit Friday Band Contest

26/05/2024

The Uppermill stage ready for our first band of 2024 - Brighouse and Rastrick - our eventual Uppermill Champions, Deportment Winners and ultimately the Area Champions too. Many congratulations to them.

26/05/2024

Many thanks to all the bands who played at Whit Friday - they gave us a night to remember! Congratulations to all the prize-winners. The results from Uppermill, where Brighouse & Rastrick played at number 1 and became our number 1.

24/05/2024

Please can the owner of this vehicle come and remove it as you are blocking the space for a retail food outlet and this car park is CLOSED today 😬

21/05/2024

It's the Band Contest on Friday!! Yeeah!! A reminder that tomorrow (Weds May 22nd) is the last day for residents permits. These are needed by people who live on roads off High Street between Bridge Street and New Street and who must leave or return to their homes between 4.00 pm and midnight. Text/phone 07851 370442 or email [email protected].

20/05/2024

Countdown to Whit Friday! This year we are aiming to improve the traffic flow during the contest in Uppermill. If you plan to play in Uppermill please try and approach from the station side. If you are on the viaduct side you will need to go through the village and turn around using Chapel Road and Shaw Hall Bank Road, by the station, then join the end of the queue. Bands are given a playing order to match the arrival order of their coach. Our priority is helping bands through the village as quickly as possible so there will be more delays from the viaduct end. We have facilities for bands on the Museum car park and there should be just one band's wait at the end of your march. Good Luck on Whit Friday to all the bands who make Whit Friday so special, thank you for coming.

15/05/2024

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ROAD CLOSURES AND PARKING ON WHIT FRIDAY 24th MAY 2024.

Uppermill High Street will be closed intermittently from 9am until around 1.30pm for the Whit Walks.

It will close again to through traffic for the Band Contest from 3.30pm until midnight.

A diversion is in place via Bridge Street, Rush Hill Road, Grove Road, Station Road, Smithy Lane and New Street.

Residents permits are available for those who need access but must be requested by 22nd May and will not be available on Whit Friday. To apply contact [email protected] or text/phone 07851 370442

If you are a Care provider you will be asked for identification.
If you use the services of a Care Provider please inform them that they will need to produce a form of identification.

The MUSEUM CAR PARK and ST MARY’S GATE car park will be closed from midnight on Thursday 23rd May until midnight Friday 24th May.

13/05/2024

12/05/2024

Whit Friday, May 24th, just round the corner now! Advance warning that the Museum (Victoria Mill) car park and the St Mary's Gate (Playing Fields) car park in Uppermill will be closed all day on Whit Friday and some parts of them will be also closed the day before, Thursday May 23rd, whilst some of the facilities arrive.
Is there anyone who could volunteer to be at the car parks from 6.30 a.m. to 8.30 am and then perhaps someone from 12.30 - 3.30 pm to prevent unauthorised vehicles entering and impeding our setting up? We would really appreciate any help. Thank you.

03/05/2024

YOUR VILLAGE NEEDS YOU
Please help us to run this unique annual event in our village. We need volunteers to keep the Band Contest alive. If you can give up any time before, during or after the contest which runs from around 3.30pm til 10.30pm then you would be most welcome to join us. If you are a newcomer and don't know what the Contest is all about or you just want to find out what is involved we will be at Tesco Greenfield selling programmes this Saturday 4th May 9.30-1.30 and Sunday 5th May 10.30-2.30. Please come along and have a chat with us or if you can't make it this weekend we are holding a volunteers meeting on Tuesday 14th May 7pm at Uppermill Conservative Club. Everyone is welcome!

30/04/2024

It's now less than a month to go before Whit Friday and we're geared up, ready to go! The programme is ready, the stage has been hired, the food vans ordered and the trophies given an extra shine. If you're planning to come it's worth looking for information on the website saddleworthwhitfriday.co.uk. If you're in a band please pre-register to save loads of paperwork on the night. Please help if you can and donations needed to keep the contest going. https://gofund.me/82bdecb6

15/04/2024

It's only a few weeks until Whit Friday, when we welcome hundreds of bands and thousands of spectators to our villages, for an amazing event. Please would you help us by sharing our fundraiser with your family, friends and contacts to help us ensure we have the funds for the facilities and prizes? Also any help you could offer on the day would be invaluable, even if just for a few hours. Thanks for helping out.

Hi, please can you help us fund this year's Uppermill Band Contest on 24th May 2024? … Pam Armstrong needs your support for Uppermill Whit Friday Band Contest

11/06/2023

What an amazing Whit Friday in Uppermill! Following the phenomenal number of people walking to the Whit Service, then the Band Contest later, with our new stage encouraging spectators to picnic on the grass. We had 59 bands marching and playing for us and we thank every single one for coming. High Street suffers from being a main throughfare and although we arrange diversions for cars, we have to walk buses and coaches through, one way at a time. Inevitably some bands get caught in the backlog, especially later on. Thanks to everyone who supported and helped us; our amazing volunteers, the police, security, traffic management, First Bus, fire brigade, St John Ambulance and OMBC and all the spectators who made the day special. 2023 was the dress rehearsal for 2024!

01/06/2023

Who's going to sleep tonight? It's WHIT FRIDAY tomorrow!!. The fabulous Whit Walks in the morning and the Band Contests from 4 pm. It's going to be a fantastic day. There's a record number of bands registered, including many from overseas. In Uppermill we've a crowd-pleasing march up High Street followed by the most amazing brass band music from our stage in the middle of the playing fields. We have new food outlets, including Grandpa Greene's plus a face painter. Please come and experience this amazing spectacle in perfect weather.

31/05/2023

Just two more sleeps and it's Whit Friday! Today's the last day for bands to register, tomorrow's the last day to apply for residents or carer's permits, then we can look forward to welcoming a record number of bands from all over the world to Uppermill on Friday. It's a unique and uplifting occasion with each band playing twice in our village. Please cheer them along High Street or bring your picnic to the park. Witness "The Greatest Free Show on Earth" .

30/05/2023

Three more sleeps to Whit Friday!! It's going to be such a great event with fantastic weather. A record number of bands have registered and we look forward to welcoming them to Uppermill. This year in addition to the uplifting march up High Street we will have an elevated stage on the Playing Fields and are encouraging picnicking on the grass. We'll even have a face painter. Please come and support us.

29/05/2023

Just 4 more sleeps till Whit Friday!! Uppermill Band Contest hopes you'll join us for what promises to be a fantastic event with great weather. We've a new stage on the playing field to picnic around, a face painter, food outlets and of course it's fantastic entertainment. Is anyone able to spare a few hours to help us on the road closures on High Street to help residents get home safely please - gives you a grandstand view? See you on Whit Friday 😀

22/05/2023

Would you consider becoming a “Friend” of Uppermill Band Contest? It won’t cost you anything!
On Tuesday May 23rd at 7 pm at Uppermill Conservative Club we are holding a meeting for the people who’ve volunteered to help on Whit Friday (there are still some spaces). We’ll also hold a short AGM to review last year and create the framework of a base of people who support the Contest but might not be able to help on the night because they are playing in bands or on holiday. Please let us know if you can join us. More details 07851 370442 [email protected]

05/05/2023

04/05/2023

It's now less than a month to go till the Whit Friday Band Contests on 2nd June and we are still trying to raise funds and recruit volunteers for the day, Can you help us please? We are hiring an elevated stage so families can picnic on the grass while listening to the bands, we're also wanting to increase the prize money to encourage more bands to visit Uppermill. Can you help by donating to our GoFundMe or volunteering a few hours on Whit Friday to help with the organising? https://gofund.me/85857717 Thank you so much

13/03/2023

Less than three months to go till the Whit Friday Brass Band contests on 2nd June.
This year In Uppermill we are working to improve the facilities for the bands and spectators to make this amazing spectacle more family-friendly. So, we’re extending the march up, hiring an elevated band stand and encouraging picnics on the grass. We’re also increasing the prize money to attract more bands to Uppermill.
Could you spare a few hours on 2nd June between 3.30 pm and 11.00 pm to help us ensure it all runs smoothly? It would be general stewarding and leading the bands.
Donations welcomed to Go Fund Me: https://gofund.me/85857717

Please help us if you can, every donation and volunteer makes a difference and is gratefully received.

Hi, I'm Pam, part of the new committee organising the Uppermill Whit Friday Band Con… Pam Armstrong needs your support for Uppermill Whit Friday Band Contest

09/08/2022

We've presented our remaining trophy! After overcoming playing commitments, Covid & holidays, on behalf of Foden's Andrew Howard Smith was finally able to receive our 3rd Prize "Abaco Coffee Cup" from Michael Frith, General Manager, Caffe Grand Abaco, Uppermill.. Thanks also to The Waggon Uppermill for sponsoring this prize money. Congratulations!

30/06/2022

Congratulations to all the prize winners who collected their silverware at the joint Dobcross/ Uppermill Presentation Evening last Sunday. Thanks also to Councillors Pam Byrne and Luke Lancaster for presenting the trophies and to all the sponsors. Roll on 2023!

16/06/2022

More Thank Yous. Not only did our local businesses step up to have adverts in the programme but others also sponsored some of the prize money or donated trophies, some did all three! We are extremely grateful for everyone for their help and not forgetting all the volunteers on the night who ensured that it ran smoothly and safely: Coach & Band Stewards, Board Carriers & Writers, Registration, Programme Sellers and the Arena Team. You were brilliant and hope to see you in 2023!

12/06/2022

Absolutely thrilled we have been able to present our Uppermill Co-op Shield for best 1st Section band and also our John Martin Broadbent Trophy for Deportment to Emmental Brass Band before they fly home to Switzerland this afternoon. A great end to our Whit Friday Contest.

11/06/2022

Huge congratulations to all the prize winners at Uppermill Whit Friday Band Contest. You did us proud! Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did - an unforgettable night and all the bands were amazing! See you next year! 🤞👍👏👏🥂🎺🎶🍾

09/06/2022

POLITE REMINDER TO ALL UPPERMILL AND SADDLEWORTH RESIDENTS. The Museum car park will be closed from 6.00am until 12 midnight tomorrow for the Whit Friday Band Contest and Whit Walks. The same restrictions apply to the car park in the King George V playing fields. There are no disabled badge exemptions.

08/06/2022

Just look at this impressive array of silverware awaiting the bands competing in Uppermill on Whit Friday! We're so proud that with the help of the community we've been able to increase the number of prize categories and the prize money. It's going to be a fantastic day so please come, even the weather is looking good!
We know we need to do more next year so please donate something to build our reserves for 2023. Thanks for your support for this fabulous, unique, free family event. https://gofund.me/4d00ab76

03/06/2022

Just 7 more sleeps and the marching and the music will be back on the streets of Uppermill! Hope you’re planning to join us!