Friday 

On the 8^th Feb, Hawick pipe band left the Stags head bar on their annul trip to Bailleul in Northern France. As always, I’m sure there was more alcohol than luggage loaded on the bus. We arrived in Calais around 10am and we had one more stop to make at the Hyper mart and there's no prizes for guessing what we were shopping for. On our arrival at Bailleul we were greeted with the usual very warm welcome that we have become accustomed to by Christoff the president of the Philanthropic society along with all the host family’s who are kind enough to open their homes  to their Scottish guests.  After sharing a meal with our hosts, most band members freshen up and get ready to hit the town. Once in the cafés, we soon find the rest of the Scottish contingent as we are the only ones there, this surprises most newcomers. After a few hours they soon become aware what Mardigras really all about.  It's on this night that they pick the Carnival Queen and everyone gets togged up in fancy dress after which they all head off to the town to party. The final judging takes part at a place named the Saldefate, this is where most of the band members end up going and this place can only be described as rugby scrum and by now most of band members haven't had any sleep for about forty hours and most of them have drunk themselves sober, but tiredness does catch up with them in the end, and at about four in the morning heads start to hit the pillows. Sunday morning a French voice rings in your ear, yes the early wake up call. First Thought I’m dreaming, second though I’ve slept in, reality it’s the day of the big parade and all the hosts are told to make sure you are there on time. After a quick shower and bite to eat it’s time to kit up and do the job in hand. The meeting point was the café de Flanders and on route to the café I was convinced that I saw a drunken band member sleeping in the gutter "my eyes were surely deceiving me". On arrival I was quite surprised to see that most of the band where there and kicking keen to get on with the matter in hand. The band members who were taking part in this festival for the first time, obviously didn't know what lay ahead of them which was a five-hour route march not a quick street parade. As always the band made the start on time, tuned up and ready to do the job in hand. Thankfully weather was good. The siren sounded, the command was given and the band led the parade off to the sound of Scotland the brave. This year was a special year as it was the events 150th anniversary, it was bigger than ever and the floats and band’s started from two different starting points in the town to try to ease the congestion by the extra influx  of people coming to see the proceedings. The parade was on it’s way, and for the next few hours the cortege snaked it’s way through the streets of Bailleul only stopping now and then to let slower groups catch up and also of course for the pipe bands beer stops. At around 4.30pm the band had reached the finish of the parade which ends at the town hall and the band is announced to the public as we march into the square counter march a few times form a circle play amazing grace then reform into ranks. The band then exit the square playing Scotland the brave as the French crowd show their appreciation. Once off square the band is dismissed. The band members now head straight to the café for a beer and well earned rest. It takes around an hour for the rest of parade to pass through to the finishing point, therefore we can just sit and relax and watch the parade go by. By now, most band members head home to there hosts to freshen up and have something to eat before heading for the town. This night is much the similar to the previous one, lot’s of beer dancing on tables, busking with brass bands that appear from no were, and for a seasoned campaigner like myself, the early morning onion soup party in the home of Bruno which lasts into the early hours of the morning. Monday is an easy day, at 11am the pipe band and their French hosts meet at the Mill club with the Philanthropic society for a reception, this is a small event were the president of the Philanthropic thanks the Hawick pipe band for coming and taking part in the Carnival, this is replied to by the pipe Major who thanks the Philanthropic for their invite and all the hosts for there kind hospitality. In the afternoon there is a small parade for the children of Bailleul which lasts about an hour and after that the day is free. In recent years, a small mini band has visited the local hospitals and played a few sets of tunes for the patients. Then in the evening it's the competition for the best fancy dress costume and there are two categories, individual and group,  to enter this you must apply to do so, some pipe band members entered in the past but not all, just the brave ones. Tuesday is the longest day, early in the morning, the pipe band and the local brass band join together and play Scotland the brave through the streets of Bailleul, ending up at the town hall where they give a brief performance inside. After this we have two hours to spare before it all starts again and the big parade is virtually a carbon copy of the Sunday parade. At night, the goings on are a little bit less hectic than the previous night  which is understandable and I guess it's for the best as it’s an early departure the following day for the long trek back tae sunny Hawick. At this point I would like to thank Christoff and the Philanthropic Society for making all this possible, and also a huge thank you to all the kind and generous host family's who take us into their homes every year 

By Alistair Glendinning