International Bagpipe Day is a holiday that’s observed annually on the 10th of March. It celebrates a musical instrument that’s composed of reed pipes and is played by the pressure of wind that comes from a bag that’s squeezed by the player.

Although this is an instrument that’s typically associated with Scotland, historians believe that this instrument originated in ancient Egypt and wasn’t brought to Scotland until the Roman legions brought it.

Regardless, this is an instrument that was largely used in the Scottish Highlands during the 15th through 17th centuries for weddings, funerals, and feasts. Since then, it’s been used all throughout the world for a variety of reasons, which is why we’re celebrating it with this holiday.

The History Of International Bagpipe Day

Since we’ve already covered the history of bagpipes, we thought that we’d just jump right into the history of International Bagpipe Day. This holiday was first created by Andy Letcher in 2012. Although the name of this guy might not sound familiar to most people, he might sound familiar to those who played bagpipes.

That’s because he was the publicity officer for the Bagpipe Society. This society not only celebrates this holiday but also celebrates an International Bagpipe Conference every two years. Just something for bagpipe enthusiasts to mark on their calendars.

Observing International Bagpipe Day

How do you like to celebrate International Bagpipe Day? Well, if you’re like us, then you probably don’t play bagpipes, so playing these on this day might be a no-go. Sure, it’s fine for people who already play the “pipes” but don’t do those of us who don’t own a set much good.

Not if we actually want to participate in this day. With that being said, we decided to think long and hard about it. And then we realized how this day should be celebrated. We realized that there are several songs that actually use bagpipes.

These songs are “Dead” by Korn, “Come Talk to Me” by Peter Gabriel, and “Night of the Swallow” by Kate Bush. Of course, there are other songs out there that feature bagpipes, and a quick Google Search will help you find them.

Of course, the ultimate way to observe this holiday is to buy a set of bagpipes and begin your journey toward learning how to play them. It’s something that’s going to take a lot of work, but with enough dedication, anyone can learn to play the bagpipes.

While you’re learning, don’t forget to use the hashtag #InternationalBagpipeDay to spread the word about your progress on this holiday. We’d love to know who the next great bagpipe players are going to be.