Pride of the Maine's 50th anniversary parade

PRIDE of the Maine Flute Band will stage their 50th anniversary parade in Ballymena on Saturday evening.

Formed mainly from young men who lived in and around the Maine Park estate in the village back in 1975, the band has risen from humble beginnings to their current status as one of Northern Ireland’s premier maching outfits.

On Saturday evening’s parade, the current band members will be joined by an ‘Auld Boys’ ensemble formed from those who walked in the ranks down through the years.

The old and faded pictures on these pages show the band on one of their very first parades resplendent in the ‘college jumpers’ and half mast ‘parallel’ trousers which were the height of style at the time. On Saturday evening the host band will gather at 6.30pm and march from George Street into Linenhall Street before turning onto Bridge Street and onwards to Castle Street car park where the parade proper will begin at 8pm..

The main route of the parade will be:- Castle Street, Bridge Street, Harryville Bridge, Henry Street,, Larne Street, Douglas Terrace / Paradise Avenue, Queen Street, Harryville Bridge, Bridge Street, North Road, Pentagon, Lower Mill Street, Wellington Street, Ballymoney Street, William Street, Broughshane Street, Church Street, Castle Street.

The parade is expected to finish around 11pm.

Bands from all over Northern Ireland are due to take part in the parade with the following listed on the official Parades Commission website.

Dunloy Accordion, Killycoogan Accordion, Milltown Accordion, Mosside Accordion Band, Staffordtown Accordion Band, Vow Accordion Band, Ballygarvey LOL 746 Flute Band, Cullybackey LOL 696 Flute Band, Ahoghill Sons of William Flute Band, Ballee Flute Band, Ballymaconnelly Flute Band, Ballycraigy Old Boys Flute Band, Ballyclare Protestant Boys Flute Band, Ballymacash Flute Band, Cairncastle Flute Band, Carnalbanagh Flute Band, Carrickfergus Defenders, Cloughmills Crown Defenders Flute Band, Castledawson Amateur Flute Band, Dunamoney flute band, Rising Sons East Belfast, Drumaheagles Flute Band, Drumderg Young Loyalists Flute Band, Star of the Roe Flute Band, Pride of the Raven Flute Band, Shankill Protestant Boys, Portavogie Flute Band, City of Belfast Fife & Drums, East Belfast Regimental UVF Flute Band , Finaghy True Blues Flute Band, Rathcoole Protestant Boys Flute Band, Shankill Defenders Flute Band, Gertrude Star Flute Band, South Down Defenders Flute Band, Skeogh Flute band, Robert Graham Memorial Flute Band, Newtownards Protestant Boys, Goldsprings Flute Band, Ballyquinn Loyal Sons of Ulster, Ulster Grenadiers Flute Band, Tullaghan Sons of Ulster Flute Band ,Pride of the Valley Teenies Flute Band, Stranocum Flute Band, Freeman Memorial Flute Band, Gortagilly Flute Band, Lisnargot Accordion Band, Pride of the Bann Flute Band, Pride of the Orange and Blue Flute Band, Maghera Flute Band, Star and Crown Flute Band ,Blair Memorial Flute Band, Castlederg Young Loyalists Flute Band, Derryloran Boyne Defenders Flute Band, Cookstown Sons of William Flute Band, Tamlaghtmore Tigers Flute Band, Bessbrook True Blues Flute Band,Craigavon Protestant Boys Flute Band, Portadown Defenders Flute Band, Bangor Protestant Boys Flute Band, Blackskull Orange & Blue Flute Band, Crimson Star Flute Band, Downshire Guiding Star Flute Band, Ballymena Corps of Drums, Steeple Defenders Flute Band, Portrush Sons of Ulster Flute Band, Randalstown Sons of Ulster Flute Band, Sons of Kai Flute Band, Sir George White Memorial Flute Band, Pride Of The Park Flute Band, Maghaberry Flute Band, Ballykeel Loyal Sons of Ulster Flute Band, Lambeg Orange and Blue Flute Band, Kellswater Flute Band, Kells Sons of William Flute Band, Glenhugh Flute Band,Dunaghy Flute Band, Ardarragh Accordion Band, Star of Down Maghera Flute Band, South Belfast Protestant Boys Flute Band, Moorfields Flute Band, Knockloughrim Accordion Band, Dunmurry Protestant Boys Flute Band, Donaghadee flute and Drums, Carrickfergus Ulster Grenadiers, Duningans Accordion, Constable Anderson Flute Band, Moneyslane Melody Flute Band, Mourne Young Defenders, Pride of the Lagan Valley Flute Band,Ballymoughan Purple Guards,Ballyclare Memorial Flute Band,Ladyhill Flute Band