Whether you’re honouring tradition at a wedding, marking a solemn moment at a memorial, or just want to turn heads at your next celebration, the bagpipe adds a rich, unforgettable presence to any event. In a city as vibrant and diverse as San Francisco, finding a talented piper is easier than ever—if you know where to look.
Here are six of the most talented bagpipers and pipe bands in the San Francisco area for private events in 2025.
Jay Salter
Jay Salter has performed on his Great Highland Bagpipes for hundreds of Northern California events ranging from weddings and funerals to birthday parties, wedding proposals, and corporate functions. With over three decades of experience you can be assured of an outstanding bagpipe performance for a very memorable event.
🔗 Website
Fred Payne
Way back in 1966, when I was 11 years old, my parents and I were members of the Scottish Society of Santa Barbara. It was a big society for a (then) small town. The Walter B. Truman Bagpipe Band was loosely associated with the society. I had been playing classical piano for five years and performed occasionally at the society meetings. The band leadership must have liked my piano style because they approached my parents and offered free piping lessons if I would consider joining the band.
🔗 Website📱Facebook
Matthew Welch
Matthew Welch is one of the the most professionally accomplished bagpipers in the USA. His performances on this regal and rare instrument make lasting and impactful experiences and memories. His entertaining performances at weddings create life-long memories, and his repertoire of laments impact somber acoustic epitaphs.
🔗 Website
Irish Pipers
The Irish Pipers Band of San Francisco was formed in 1932 and is the oldest continuously active Irish pipe band west of the Mississippi River. The band performs at numerous public and private events in the San Francisco Bay Area and regularly competes in pipe band competitions throughout Northern and Southern California. The band wears the County Wexford tartan and practices on Monday evenings at the United Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco.
🔗 Website📱Facebook📱Instagram
Prince Charles
In the mid-1960s J.W. (Bill) Merriman, Jack Sutherland and Jerry Golanty – all members of the City of San Francisco Caledonian Pipe Band – recognized that with no organized effort to train young pipers and drummers in the Bay Area, this unique cultural art could eventually die out. In 1967 they assembled a small group of young pipers and drummers and started recruiting beginner students. A year later the Band was officially incorporated as a non-profit educational organization, the Prince Charles Junior Pipe Band.
Silicon Valley Pipe Band
Founded in 1980, the Silicon Valley Pipe Band (SVPB), previously the Stewart Tartan Pipes & Drums, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to educate the general public in piping, drumming, dance, and other art forms associated with Scottish and Celtic culture. We perform both publicly and privately, and instruct those interested in piping and drumming. To make a donation to support Scottish piping and drumming in the Silicon Valley, please visit our donations page.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re planning a traditional wedding, a heritage festival, or a meaningful memorial, these San Francisco-based bagpipers offer rich musical experiences that elevate every occasion. Their pipes don’t just play notes—they create memories.
📩 Need help choosing the right bagpiper for your special event? Reach out to us anytime at dreamteam@booklive.com or visit www.booklive.com — we’re here to help you plan something truly unforgettable.