STPD has been making a run for the border the first weekend in March for the past several years to participate in Hidalgo’s International Music Festival known as Borderfest. The band has been so well received that we have fans from all over the nation, Canada and Mexico who seek us out every year!
Sunday, January 27, 2013, saw Silver Thistle Pipes and Drums commemorating the immortal memory of Robert Burns. Peter Reid, a native of Scotland and current Texas, gave the toast to Robert Burns intermixed with some spicy humor. We had the traditional toast to the Lassies and the Lads as well. The haggis was piped in and Torf recited Burns’ thorough poem touting the benefits of consuming copious amounts of the Scottish treat! STPD unveiled the Cairncross Ceilidh Band as well as played some of our well-loved, and even some new tunes, on the Great Highland Pipes.
Silver Thistle returned to Scotland to compete at the 2011 World Pipe Band Championship. Band members spent two weeks in Glasgow with daily rehearsals to acclimate our pipes and ourselves to the colder weather.