A REGIONAL brass band contest will take place next weekend (March 14-15).
Durham’s Gala Theatre will host the North of England Regional Brass Band Championships on March 14 and 15.
It will be the first time the contest has been held at the Gala, having been staged at the Dolphin Centre in Darlington for more than 30 years.
A total of 39 bands from across the North-East, North Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Cumbria will compete across five divisions, or “sections”, and the best will qualify for the National Championships, to be held later in the year.
Organisers say they are determined to make the contest a success in its new home.
The Reg Vardy Band is hoping to win the title for a record 35th time.
Saturday’s entertainment starts at 10.30am, with 17 bands competing in sections one and three. Tickets are £6, or £4 for concessions.
The music starts at 10am on Sunday, with 27 bands contesting the second, fourth and championship sections. Tickets are £7, or £5 for concessions.
There will also be a gala concert on the Saturday evening, featuring Brighouse and Rastrick Band, Reg Vardy Band and the NASUWT Riverside Band.
The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £10, or £7 for concessions.
To book tickets, call 03000-266-600 or visit galadurham.co.uk
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