Northwest Junior Pipe Band was founded in 1995 by a group of local piping and drumming instructors in the Pacific Northwest, including Scottish emigrant Charlie McNeill. McNeill had long wanted to create a youth pipe band, and the first group also included Ian MacDonald, Colin MacRae, Lawrie MacKenzie, Kevin Auld, Marcie MacRae and Davie Moore.

The band began competing after several years of teaching and development, with the Tacoma Highland Games listed as its first contest. It wears MacKenzie tartan, originally sourced from decommissioned British military kilts, and the tartan also connects to the Highland Light Infantry, in which founder Charlie McNeill had served as a piper.

Today, Northwest Junior Pipe Band provides piping, drumming and leadership experience for young people aged 8 to 18 across the Pacific Northwest. It has become a recognised youth development organisation, performing locally and travelling internationally, including a trip to Scotland for the World Pipe Band Championships in 2022.