OVER 1,000 performers will line up at The NIA for this year’s spectacular Birmingham Tattoo.

Massed bands, including the Band of Her Majesty’s Coldstream Guards and the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas, will join the Blue Falcons Gymnastic Display Team and members of the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Army will battle it out as they compete in the popular field gun competition.

Joining the Coldstream Guards and the Gurkha bands will be the Band of the United States Army, the Central Band of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan, the Royal British Legion Band and the National Youth Marching Band.

In addition, a range of exciting displays will complement the bands and will include the popular dog display team, the field gun race, the gymnastics team, the dancers, the Royal Air Force Cosford Queen’s Colour, the Birmingham Tattoo Town Crier and the Lone Piper.

The organisers also anticipate one of the largest gatherings of standard bearers, with over 100 standards marching as part of the opening of the event.

This year’s special event, which falls on the 70th anniversary of the start of the Second World War, will feature a spectacular grand finale where all 1,000 performers will assemble on the arena in a spectacle of light and sound.

Joining them will be the British Tenor Tim Pitman who will perform a special arrangement of ‘You’ll never walk alone’ and the patriotic favourite ‘Land of Hope and Glory’.

For the past 21 years the Birmingham Tattoo has thrilled audiences with world class performers joining local groups to create a three-hour spectacle.

All the traditional elements of the Tattoo will be present again for 2009 and the expected 20,000 people in the audience will experience the pomp and pageantry that has made the event one of the major events of its type in the world today.

So, whether you prefer the massed marching bands, the spectacular displays, the Field Gun competition, the gymnastics display team, the dog display team, the lone piper or the splendour of the Grand Finale, there is something for everyone at the 2009 Birmingham Tattoo.

The 2009 Birmingham Tattoo will take place at The NIA, Birmingham on Saturday 28th November at 6pm and Sunday 29th November at 2pm. Tickets are available by contacting The Ticket Factory on 0844 338 8000 or online at www.theticketfactory.co.uk. More information and a full list of performers can be found at www.birminghamtattoo.co.uk To be in with a chance to win one of five pairs of tickets to the show on Saturday 28th November, simply answer the question below: From which country do the Gurkhas originate?

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