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05 April 2017

TARTAN Day 2017


Prepare to wear it!!

According to the Sons of Scotland Pipe Band, 15% of Canadians claim Scottish heritage (with the Irish claiming a close 14%). http://www.sospb.com/tartan-day-celebrations.html

April 6th marks Scotland's Declaration of Arbroath in 1320. It was the great statement sent to the Pope of Scotland's national independence, signed by the nobility and ranking clergy. The history around the document is more complicated (and fascinating) than I can present here, but its significance endures. Echoes of "Flower of Scotland" at any Scots gathering will never die.


Canada's 150th birthday makes Tartan Day even more special. St Andrews Societies in various cities feature ceilidhs. Community celebrations take place across the country; for example, in Fergus, Ontario, twinned with Blairgowrie, Scotland. As if their summer Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games isn't enough, each Tartan Day they hold a downtown celebration worthy of their forefathers. Festivities begin with a morning kilted kilometer run around the town (kilts mandatory!); all afternoon Celtic music plays in downtown pubs and eateries, with wandering storytelling, pipe bands, heavy event demonstrations ... a little piece of Scotland in the heart of Ontario!

Personally, I have New York envy ... a whole week! Tartan Week! With a mega parade! This year the Grand Marshall is Tommy Flanagan, star of the TV series "Sons of Anarchy" (last year led by Sam Heughan aka the hunky Jamie Fraser of "Outlander" fame).

© 2017 Brenda Dougall Merriman

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