It is one of the most popular sights of the Scottish summer, the bands of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in full regalia marching and performing before the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle.

However now the Tattoo, part of the capital's festivals which bring £260m to the Scottish economy, is to have a rival from the west.

Glasgow is to host its own Tattoo at the SSE Hydro venue in January next year, which will see marching bands from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Europe perform in a three hour show in an event organised by the Belfast Tattoo.

Tickets will go on sale next week for the shows, which will run on 19, 20 and 21 January next year.

The Massed Pipe Band will feature The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Pipe Band, The Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band, Lomond and Clyde Pipe Band, Pride Of Ballinran Flute Band, Blackskull Flute Band, Murley Silver Band, Dungannon Silver Band, Dunloy Accordion Band, Vow Accordion Band, and the The Artane Band from Dublin, a well known band in the Republic of Ireland.

The event will also feature the Lume De Biquera Pipe Band from Madrid, the Amigo Leiden Band of Holland and Fascinating Drums of Germany, with more performers to be announced in the coming months.

In addition, there will be performances from The Glasgow Tattoo Highland Dance Troupe, choreographed by David Wilton, and Innova Irish Dance Troupe.

Marching bands in Northern Ireland and central Scotland are often associated with controversial religious and political parades but organisers said the aim is to attract a wide audience and "offend no one."

Colin Wasson, producer of The Glasgow Tattoo, for which The Herald are media partners, said: "Given the close and historic cultural heart that beats between Belfast and Glasgow, through its strong ship building links, its sporting links and its music and cultural links, we are very proud to be creating an event for Glasgow, which will reflect Glasgow’s proud history and reflect it links with the rest of the world".

Mr Wasson said he intends the Tattoo, which is backed by Wallace Bagpipes and Ulster Scots Agency, to be an annual event and has committed the organisation to an initial three year deal with the Hydro.

He added: "We hope to attract the ordinary people of Glasgow to the show who have an interest in good entertainment and enjoy the culture of Marching Bands from across Europe.

"We are not creating the show in Glasgow to push any agenda but all too often Marching Bands in general attract bad publicity because of the few, our aim is to present Marching Bands in such a way as to offend no one.

"We have, to date, successfully achieved this in Belfast where the Sinn Fein Lord Mayor and SDLP Lord Mayor felt comfortable enough to come along to the Belfast Tattoo to celebrate and enjoy the spectacle."

Mr Wasson said he was aware that the event would have to provide something different from the Edinburgh Tattoo which "has a massive budget and attracts most of its audience from outside Scotland."

He added: "We are very much a community Tattoo not purely military and that allows us to bring in spectacular bands that normally wouldn’t get to appear at Edinburgh, but in general the format is the same."

The Glasgow Tattoo will be under the control of current World Champion Adult Drum Major, Brian Wilson of Lomond & Clyde Pipe Band.

Dance Troupes will include the Glasgow Tattoo Highland Dancers and the Innova Irish Dance Troupe.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Pipe Band was established on the 1st of April 2013 and it replaced the eight previous fire and rescue authorities and joint fire and rescue boards.

It is led by Pipe Major Ally McLaughlan and Drum Sgt James Brown SFRS Pipe Band.

Mr McLaughlan said: “This will be a huge, massive occasion and one which not only the SFRS Pipe Band are thrilled to be part of but playing along with the other bands involved, many of whom are friends, will be a unique experience.

"It is being held in an iconic world-renowned venue and having played all over the world, The Pipe Band are proud to represent the Fire Service and are grateful to have this opportunity to give Fire Service Personnel across Scotland an opportunity to hear and see the band first hand."

Fascinating Drums from Germany are from the Westphalia and Lippstadt region and use lighting, pyrotechnics and acrobatics.

The Artane Band of Dublin have been in existence since 1872, and to date, have played for every President and Taoiseach Of Ireland, three Presidents of The United States as well as many other heads of state.

They have a long relationship with the Gaelic Athletic Association and known for their appearances as Croke Park.

The compere will be Helen Mark, a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and and presenter of TV programmes such as Greenfingers, Countryfile, Farming Today, Open Country and The Family Show.