The City of Mount Dora has an interesting legacy and connection with Scottish culture. Early settlers David Simpson and the city’s namesake Dora Ann Drawdy and Ross Tremain came from Scottish roots. More recently our Sister Cities twinning program with Forres, Scotland has continued that Scottish link with cultural exchanges for over twenty years. And 2022 will mark the tenth annual Mount Dora Scottish Festival; an event that has grown over the years and ensures all our citizens and visitors can immerse themselves in Scottish culture at least one time each year no matter where they are from. So, it is no surprise that as a community we embrace those Scottish roots with the stirring, powerful, emotive tradition of performing bagpipe music. Mount Dora is unique in many ways, but one way we stand apart from other communities is the partnership with the City of Mount Dora Pipe Band.
In June of 2017, the formation of a City of Mount Dora Pipe Band was agreed upon and the recruitment of band members began. Since that time the band roster has grown to include members from Mount Dora and across Central Florida, NJ, PA and Canada. Today the band has 38 performing pipers and drummers along with eleven members receiving instruction. The band is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes. It is an all-volunteer 501-c3 nonprofit organization with membership open to everyone and providing instruction free of charge to anyone willing to commit the time and self-discipline to learn. The members of the City of Mount Dora Pipe Band love to perform!
The band had 57 performances in 2021; we proudly represented Mount Dora as we performed across Central Florida, including the cities of Apopka, Avalon, Eustis, DeBary, Sanford, Jacksonville, Dunedin, Fort Lauderdale, Winter Park, Winter Garden, Winter Springs Clermont, and Hunter’s Creek.
We are dedicated to improving as musicians and performing at the highest level possible. We are members of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association and compete in Pipe Band Competitions at the Central Florida Highland Games, the Northeast Florida Highland Games, the Southeast Florida Highland Games, the Dunedin Highland Games and the EUSPBA competition held at Stone Mountain, Georgia.
You just can’t miss the sound of the band coming down Donnelly Street, or wherever we are performing! Entertaining our citizens and visitors, seeing them smile or take a photo… making events memorable is what we do.
The City of Mt Dora Pipe Band is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. More specifically, the CMDPB is a performance and entertainment bagpipe band, a teaching organization and a cultural group. We are a community based band and promote Celtic culture through music. Our goal is to encourage and support the Celtic culture in our community by providing instruction to anyone interested in learning the Great Highland Bagpipes and Drums. Lessons are provided free of charge to anyone willing to commit the time and self-discipline to learn.
We rehearse each Monday at 6pm at the Mount Dora Community Building. If you are a piper or drummer you are welcome to join us! If you are interested in learning the pipes or drums: instruction is at no charge.
