Winter Storm Announces 2023, 20TH Anniversary Weekend Event, Numerous Updates

Kansas City, Missouri – The Midwest Highlands Arts Fund (MHAF) Board of Directors announces the 20^th anniversary of Winter Storm – The Pipes and Drums Event in Kansas City, to be held January 11 – 15, 2023.

Online registration for the 2023 Workshop and the Piping and Drumming Competitions will go live October 12, 2022 at 12 P.M. (noon) Central Standard Time.

Winter Storm classes and contests will be held at the Kansas City Marriott – Country Club Plaza.  Guest rooms are available, at special rates, at the Marriott and at the convenient/nearby Courtyard by Marriott.

Workshop:
The piping and drumming workshop and master classes will be held Saturday and Sunday, January 14 & 15, 2023, featuring our faculty of twenty of the world’s best pipers and drummers.

Concert:
Different for 2023, the Winter Storm concert will be held in the Marriott Grand Ballroom on January 14, 2023 at 7 P.M. The free concert is not open to the public.  With limited seating, the priority will be for workshop attendees, competitors and accompanists, and their families.

Live Stream:
Saturday – The Pipes and Drums concert and will be live streamed.
Thursday and Friday- Many of the Amateur and Professional contests, and the awards ceremony, will be live streamed.

Winter Steam:
The ever-popular Winter Steam Ceilidh will follow the concert at approximately 9:00 P.M.  The “world’s biggest indoor beer tent” is free, and open to the public.  A souvenir pint glass may be purchased for $30 online or on the day of the event until sold out.

Contests:
Changes for the 2023 contests include entry limitations for all contests, the addition of a $1500 travel prize for the aggregate winner of Gold Medal Piobaireachd and the Gold Medal Ceol Beag, a new professional Silver Medal light music contest, and there will be single events for amateur tenor drum and bass drum contests.

Professional Ceol Beag piping will be held in two categories, Gold Medal and Silver Medal, and neither will have a playoff.

All Amateur Piping and Drumming competitions will be held on Thursday, January 12, 2023, and all Professional Piping and Drumming competitions will be on Friday, January 13, 2023.

There will be competitor entry size limits for all contests.  Registration for each contest will be accepted until full.

The on-site competitor registration/check-in desk will be open at the Marriott Hotel, 2nd floor, from 3 P.M. – 9 P.M.  on January 11^th and will reopen on January 12^th & 13^th at 7 A.M.  Competitions will start at 8 A.M. on both Thursday and Friday.

The awards ceremony for all contests will take place at approximately 9 P.M. on Friday, January 13, 2023; Marriott Grand Ballroom.

Contest Spectators:
Thursday – Contest spectators my attend the amateur contests free of charge.

Friday- Contest spectators must purchase a Contest Spectator Pass.  Spectator Passes may be purchased online in advance or onsite.

Exception- All amateur competitors will be given a free Contest Spectator Pass to watch Friday’s professional events.