Contesting

Contesting is an important part of the Brass Banding calendar. Bands are ranked in Championship, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Sections. Flixton Band currently competes in the First Section.

Our most important contest of the year is the North West Regional Championships. The ‘Areas’, as these are known, are held in February/March. Results at the Areas over the last three years determine promotion and relegation. A high placing in any year (usually the top two or three) also qualifies to represent the North West Region at the National Championships, held in September.

Flixton were the Second Section Champions in 2017 and again qualified in 2018 to compete in September at the National Finals in Cheltenham. These consecutive high finishes earned us promotion to the First Section from January 2019.

Throughout the year many other contests are held. Some are set-piece contests like the Areas and others allow own-choice. At ‘entertainment’ contests bands play a short concert-style programme. The Whit Friday Marches are an amazing annual spectacle. Villages across Saddleworth and Tameside each host a march contest on the same evening with over 100 bands from around the world competing at as many as possible.

Results

2026 – 1st Section

• Areas – 8th

2025 – 1st Section

• Rochdale – 11th (joint Championship/First.  Third of seven First section bands)
• Red Admiral (Entertainment) – 3rd in First Section & “Most entertaining” & Best horn section
• Areas – 9th

2024 – 1st Section

• Wychavon (Entertainment) – 7th in Championship (Best Percussion) & 2nd in First Section
• Blackburn & Darwen – 1st in Section
• Whit Friday (Saddleworth) – 19th over all Sections
  • Delph – 2nd in Section (14th overall)
  • Dobcross – 2nd in Section (12th overall)
  • Greenfield – 25th overall
  • Grotton – 2nd in Section (13th overall)
  • Lydgate – 2nd in Section (24th overall)
  • Uppermil – 2nd in Section (9th overall)
• Areas – 9th

2023 – 1st Section

• Wychavon (Entertainment) – 10th in Championship (Best Percussion) & 13th in First Section
• Blackburn & Darwen – 1st over all Sections
• Whit Friday (Saddleworth) – 15th over all Sections
• Areas – 11th

2022 – 1st Section

• Areas – 7th

2021 – 1st Section

• No contests – Pandemic year

2020 – 1st Section

• Areas – 5th
• Brass in the Wire (Warrington) – 4th

2019 – 1st Section

• Rochdale – 3rd
• Blackburn & Darwen – 1st in Section
• Whit Friday (Saddleworth) – 16th over all Sections (Top first section band at Dobcross and Second at Lees & Springhead)
• Areas – 8th
• Preston – 9th

2018 – 2nd Section

• Rochdale – 5th
• National Finals – 15th
• Grotton – 1st
• Dobcross – 1st
• Delph – 2nd
• Denshaw – 2nd
• Areas – 3rd (Promotion to First Section from 2019)

2017 – 2nd Section

• Leicester – 2nd
• Rochdale – 7th
• National Finals – 8th
• Uppermill – 1st
• Areas – 1st

2016 – 2nd Section

• Rochdale – 11th
• Brighouse – 1st
• Morley – 1st
• Areas – 11th
• Preston – 6th

2015 – 2nd Section

• Rochdale – 6th
• Morley – 1st
• Denshaw – 1st
• Lees – 1st
• Scouthead – 1st
• Uppermill – 1st
• Areas – 13th

2014 – 1st Section

• Uppermill – 1st
• Areas – 15th

2013 – 1st Section

• Fleetwood – 5th
• Areas – 11th
• Preston – 3rd

2012 – 2nd Section

• Fodens Quartets – 2nd
• Fleetwood – 1st
• Elland Quartets – 1st & 3rd
• Lees – 2nd
• Scouthead – 3rd
• Areas – 5th