The next contest takes place on 29th May 2026
All bands now expected to register for the contest.
Commencing at 4:00 pm. Registration from 3.30pm.
We have made a few changes to create a larger safer area for bands to congregate. March Start Check in is relocated nearer to Registration, making the whole process a bit slicker. Please take time to read our updated Fact Sheet below.
Last registration: 10.30pm ( at the discretion of the organisers)
Adjudicators:
Contest: Gordon Eddison (AoBBA)
March: Wing Commander Steve Molloy (ATC)
All of the contests are run on slightly different lines – making this one of the joys of the contests. Please read the information below to help you to get the best experience of our contest.
Arriving in the village
Please note that during the last three years, a new Secondary School has been built in Diggle, and the entrance to the village now is controlled by traffic lights. The entrance to the village looks a bit different, so don’t get confused and think you are in the wrong place!
Coaches are able to turn round in Diggle. We will meet your coach and advise you of the likely waiting time. We are pretty good at estimating this, so don’t be deterred by the number of coaches you see when you arrive. (Quite often coach drivers have a rest here, and bands have some of our delicious food.)
Please adhere to signage and keep speed in the village very slow.
You are in the queue as soon as you enter Diggle, so for the safety of others, please take it steady. Rushing will make no difference to your playing time. When we meet your coach we will give you a card to keep the order of play from this point onwards. It is not permitted for runners to go ahead of the queue, so they may not leave the coach until requested to do so.
The road closure begins at 4pm. We are not able to take any responsibility for coach manoeuvring until then, but in the interests of the safety of pedestrians, we request that your coach remains in a queue until we give you further instructions. This will not affect your position in the contest at all.
Please take instructions from our volunteers, and remember that they are giving up their time to give you the best experience possible.
Registration
Bands are now expected to register in advance on the Saddleworth Whit Friday website. This will provide information for all of the contests to use. When you arrive in Diggle, you need to visit Registration where you will be given a playing number, documentation and an estimated time for waiting. You must take responsibility for your band being ready to march. If you miss your slot, you will go to the back of the queue.
There is a fee of £3. We will be accepting card payments and offering receipts if required.
How many bands are waiting?
Follow the Live Updates (don’t forget to keep refreshing your browser!) for regular and accurate information about the number of bands waiting at each contest. We have our crack team of ATC volunteers keeping the details up to date, but don’t forget there are other bands reading the same information, so times may have changed a little by the time you get here.
Disabled Access
We have a dedicated parking space near to the playing area. Please let us know if you need to access it, so that our volunteers can direct you.
This is how the process works….
Need more information?
Use our Contact Form to get in touch.
Our Rules
The Code of Practice applies to all contests. You can read it here.
Additional Diggle Prize Rules
- The Holden Prize is only applicable to bands whose headquarters are within a 10 km radius of Diggle Band Club and have not won one of the top 8 Prizes. Make sure you tell us that you are eligible.
- The Saddleworth Prize can only be won by a band which has not won one of our top 7 prizes.
- The Highest Ranked Unregistered or Scratch Band will be allocated to bands which have not won one of the top 4 prizes.
