Tartan Day Events Around the World

Tartan Day Ceremony at the Alamo - Picture Courtesy of James David Calhoun


Introduction
In 1998 the US Senate designated 6 April each year as Tartan Day "in recognition of the monumental achievements and invaluable contributions made by Scottish Americans." Previously, in some parts of the US, and in other parts of the world (notably Canada where a Tartan Day was already in place) special events had been held to celebrate this day. But the Senate resolution has provided a further impetus and a growing number of organisations and individuals are having their own local festivities. So that these events can gain further publicity within the world-wide Scottish community, and to allow as many people as possible to participate, the details of a number of these celebrations are listed below. So if there is a Tartan Day function in your area, come along and join the other folk who have a pride in Scotland who will be there!

Thanks are due to the many people who have contributed to this listing. If you know of an event in your part of the world, send an e-mail to Scottie with the details.

List of Locations
You can browse through the events listed below or click on the index to jump to a particular location.




Adelaide, South Australia
Tartan Day will be celebrated in Adelaide by Port Adelaide Caledonian Society on 1st July 2012 with their annual Tartan Night Celebrations. It will feature their choir and Highland dancers with a Shared Basket Supper and BYO drinks.

The Tartan Day Event organised by the Scottish Associations of South Australia will take place at the Burnside Library, of the University of Adelaide at the corner of Greenhill and Portrush Roads, Burnside, South Australia. The Official opening by the Hon. Dr E.P. Mullighan QC, will take place at 10.30 a.m. Events and tastings of Scottish Fare will take place through to 8.30 p.m. For details contact Trevor Powell at 08 84491847.

Akron, OH
The Scottish American Society located in Northeast Ohio, which usually meets at the Akron Public Library, will hold an excellent Brunch at the 356th Fighter Group Restaurant, 4919 Mt. Pleasant Road, North Canton, Ohio 44720 It begins at 1:00 on April 15th, and features entertainment by the Tigh na Creige Highland Dancers, pipers, Gaelic singers, and much more. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. For reservations, e-mail Margaret Frost, or Frances Acar.

Albuquerque, NM
Celebrations start at O'Niell's Pub on April 6th. Pipers, dancers and good brew will kick off the salute to Scots and Scottish-Americans and the State of New Mexico Tartan. Location is 3301 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE. Contact: Mark Shear at 505-554-0357. See also www.nmscots.org.

Alexandria, VA
National Tartan Day is being celebrated at Market Square, Alexandria, Virginia, on Saturday, April 2, 2011 from: noon - 6:00 P.M. There will be Scottish Music and Entertainment, Vendors and Crafts, Scottish Clan and Society Tents. Entry is free. For more information, contact Robert Bruce Cameron.

Arbroath, Scotland
 The historic town of Arbroath, birthplace of the famous Declaration of Arbroath of 1320 is at the heart of Scotland's Tartan Day celebrations. The celebrations marking Tartan Day 2012 begin on Saturday 31 March when a host of special events throughout the country marked the start of over a week of festivities. Arbroath Abbey Timethemes are leading Tartan Day celebrations in Arbroath for April 2011.

See also Tartan Day Scotland for events in other Scottish towns and counties including Dundee, East Renfrewshireand Fife

Auckland, New Zealand
The Scottish Clans Association - Auckland District Incorporated, celebrate Tartan Day on the nearest Sunday to the 1st. of July each year. See www.scottishclans.co.nz.

Austin, TX
There will be a State of Texas ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, from 11am to 2pm on April 6th, with a piper playing and Scottish dancers in honour of Tartan Day. Official reading of the National Tartan Day Proclamation is scheduled for Noon in the Rotunda - free to the public. See also Texas Scottish Heritage Society.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The Australian Scottish Community in Brisbane, Queensland are organising their Tartan Day Festival on Saturday 7th July 2012. There is a full programme of events between 9am and 4pm which includes the massed pipe bands at 12.30pm. in King George Square, between Ann and Adelaide Streets in front of the Brisbane City Hall. Entertainment includes Pipe Bands throughout the day & Highland Dancers,Scottish Country Dancers, Scotch on the Rocks Band, Gaelic Dream Dancers, Highland cattle, Scottie dogs, Celtic display, Scottish genealogy, Scottish cars and a "Find Your Tartan" stall. See the Australian Scottish Community Web Site or contact the Vice-President of the organisation.

Bucks County, PA
The Bucks County Scottish American Society (BCSAS) will be holding their annual Tartan Day Celebration on April 6th, starting at 2PM. The location will be the hall of Grace Episcopal Church, 313 Main St., Hulmeville, PA. All Scottish country dancers are invited to this open evening in celebration of Tartan day. There will be food, entertainment and plenty of Scottish fellowship. For more information, contact George Carmichael

Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Buenos Aires Tartan Day Parade 2012 will be held on Saturday 14 April at 3 p.m. starting from the Buenos Aires City Hall at the corner of Ave. de Mayo and Bolivar Street and marching along Mayo Ave. All Scots and their friends are invited to participate displaying something with tartan. The opening celebrations will take place on the stage in front of the City Hall and will include the installations of the Grand Marshal, the Queen of the parade and the Key Bearer of the symbolic key to the gate of Arbroath's Abbey and will continue with the Bussing and Casting of the Colours of the City of Buenos Aires and a call to the Gathering of the Clans displaying the Crann Tara. The signing of the Declaration of Arbroath will be re-enacted by the group A.R.M.E. The Buenos Aires Scottish Guard will lead the parade. The participants will remember their cultural heritage and the contributions of Scots and Scots-Argentines to the history and development of Argentina. This year Alexander Watson Hutton, the founder of the Argentine Football Association in 1893 will be remembered. At the end of the walk, pipers will entertain the public and Scottish Country and Highland dances will be performed at the stage. The event will be closed with a Highland Toast made by the authorities of the Scottish Argentine Society and the City Hall, honouring Tartan Day.

Cape Town, South Africa
Scottish Country Dancers in Cape Town will be attending the inaugural Tartan Day Dance on Wednesday 6th April 2011. For further information visit Cape Town Scottish Country Dancing. Spectators and newcomers to Scottish Country Dancing are most welcome.

Chemainus, Vancouver Island, British Coumbia, Canada
In years gone by, Chemainus, Vancouver Island, B.C. was known as Scots Town. For Tartan Week in Chemainus, Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society usually arranges for a number of local store windows to be decorated with tartan during the first ten days of April and for an article in the local paper to inform the community of the display locations to honour the contributions of the Scotish pioneers in Canada.

Chicago, IL
In Chicago, the Illinois St Andrew Society have organised several events for Tartan day and Scottish week including:

Cincinnati, OH
The Cincinnati Caledonian Pipes & Drums will be hosting their Tartan Day Ceilidh on April 9th, 2011, 6:00pm-11:00pm at the Sycamore Sr. Center in Blue Ash. See Cincinnati Caledonian Pipes & Drums for more information and tickets.

Dallas, TX
April 5 - The Scottish Society of Dallaswill hold their annual Tartan Day Ceilidh on Sunday, April 1st 2012 from 1pm to 5pm. It will be held, as usual, at Winfrey Point House on White Rock Lake in Dallas, adjacent to the Dallas Arboretum. Bring a blanket as there is a picnic area available and you can and enjoy the beauty of White Rock Lake in the springtime. For more information folks can go to Scottish Society of Dallas - Tartan Day. This year, they will have the N. Texas Caledonian Pipes & Drums; Seamus Stout; the Dallas Highland Dancers; and Double Portion and the K3 Sisters. There will be country dancing for all and they generally have a number of clans represented. There is also a large educational display that addresses why Tartan Day is celebrated in the first place. The event is sponsored by Walker's Shortbread.

Denver, CO
Colorado was the second state to designate a State Tartan and and further details of their Tartan Day events can be found at the Colorado Tartan Day website. This year's celebrations take place on Saturday - April 14th, 2011 in Olde Town Arvada. from 9 am to 4 pm at McIlvoy Park (Admission is Free). Learn about Scottish/Irish/Celtic History from various clans. Performances by Bagpipe Bands, Rocky Mountain Highland Dancers and Historical Re-enactors.

Detroit, MI
Join the Scottish American Society Of Michigan as they host Michigan's "official" and biggest Tartan Day Ceilidh celebration - the 9th annual- at Monaghan's Knights of Columbus Hall in Livonia on Saturday, March 31, 2012 from 6:30 until 11:00 pm. Tickets for adults are $25 each, kids under 10 are only $15. Wee Bairns four and under are free. The event features Detroit Caledonian Grade 3 Pipe Band, Alma College Pipes and Drums, Raggle Taggle Band, Scottish Country Dance Demonstration, Highland Dancers, two meat buffet meal, raffles, door prize and 50/50 cash bar. Proceeds go to benefit the Scottish American Society of Michigan Fine Arts Scholarship Fund at Alma College. For tickets, please visit Scottish American Society Of Michigan Web site or call 248/399-1101.

Dunedin, FL
Sister city to Stirling, Scotland is celebrating the its Annual Dunedin Highland Games & Festival on SSaturday, April 14, 2012 at 7pm, with a Military Tattoo at Dunedin High School Stadium, 1651 Pinehurst Road, Dunedin, Florida. Gathering of the Clans & Parade of Tartans, Massed Pipers, Drummers & Dancers,Massed Drum Salute See their Web Site for more information.

Elizabethtown, NC
There will be a special programme to honour Scottish history and contributions at Elizabethtown Public Library, 1:00-2:00 p.m. Cypress Street, Elizabethtown, NC 28337, on Wednesday, April 6, 2011. Includes re-enactors, piper, power-point presentation and more. Phone: 910 862-6990 for more details.

Ellis Island, NY
Tartan Week in New York opens on Friday, April 1 2011 at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum with "A Celebration of Tartan," Clan Currie's latest exhibition featuring the history and heritage of Scotland's enduring icon. The program runs through to Sunday, April 3. In addition to the new exhibition, Ellis Island will come alive with the sights and sounds of pipers, drummers, singers and dancers who represent Scotland's "portable culture" that was taken around the world by Scottish immigrants. Ellis Island performers include, renowned "Riverdance" piper Christopher Layer, the New York Celtic Dancers, the Westchester and District Pipe Band, John Grimaldi the Kilted Juggler, Gaelic singer Caroline Bennett, harpist Mia Theodoratus and the Rampant Lion Pipe Band among others.
For further information, visit www.tartandayonellisisland.com . There is no admission charge to the Tartan Day events or the immigration museum. Passenger ferries run from Battery Park in New York City and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. For complete ferry schedules to Ellis Island, visit www.statuecruises.com.

Halifax, Nova Scotia
The concept of "Tartan Day" began at a meeting of the Federation of Scottish Clans in Nova Scotia on 09 March 1986 and an annual Tartan Day was proclaimed in Nova Scotia on 6 April 1987.
Tartan Day in Nova Scotia, sponsored by the Federation for Scottish Culture in Nova Scotia, will be celebrated in 2012 on April 5th at the Provincial Legislative Assembly in Halifax, N. S. beginning at 11:00 a.m. There will be guest speakers, Highland dancing, singers, violin players and Scottish poetry along with Haggis and refreshments. This will be followed later by the Clan Stewart Dinner on the 14th. April. Contact Jean Watson for tickets.

Jacksonville Landing, FL
On March 26, 2011 St Andrew's Society of Jacksonville is celebrating Tartan Day (a little early!) at Culhane's, 967 Atlantic Blvd. Atlantic Beach, FL 32233 at 7pm. Then on April 2, 2011 there is a Spring Picnic and Tartan Day Celebration from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 P.M at Blue Cypress Park, Pavilion 1, 4012 University Blvd. N. Jacksonville, FL.

Los Angeles, CA
The St. Andrew's Society of Los Angeles and Ventura Seaside Highland Games Ventura Seaside Highland Games Home Page have once again joined forces to promote and celebrate Tartan Day in the USA by staging a fine Scottish feast at a premier Scottish restaurant in Los Angeles called the Tam O'Shanter Inn Lawry's Restaurant on April 6 2011. They expect to fill the Bonny Prince Charlie Room to overflowing.

Williamstown, Melbourne, Australia
Williamstown RSL Pipe Band in Melbourne Australia is planning a Tartan Day dinner at their RSL branch on the 2nd July 2011 as part of a fund raising program. This will include an address to the haggis, highland dancing, piping and other activities. The band is 102 years old and recently celebrated it's centenary by having a dinner and inviting a decendant of the founder of the band to speak.

Mesa, AZ
The Annual Tartan Day Celebration in Mesa is on Saturday March 31st, 2012 beginning at 6:00 pm with dinner & entertainment at 7:00 p.m.at Phoenix Marriott Mesa Hotel Ballroom, 200 North Centennial Way, Mesa, Arizona 85201. Entertainment is by The Mesa Caledonian Pipe Band and the Arizona Academy Of Highland Dance. Gala Dinner & Silent Auction and No Host Cocktail Hour For reservations by phone or email, contact Dianne Nunez. Se also Web site at Mesa Caledonian Pipe Band.

Minneapolis, MN
On Sunday April 10, 2011 at the State Capitol! at 3pm there is a gathering at the foot of the Mall at the State Capitol for the Annual Tartan Day Capitol Celebration. Then from 4:30pm onwards Merlin's Rest is the location for a great meal and a pint to close out the celebration. The day before, April 9, 2011 at 5:00pm there is a Tartan Day Evening Celebration at Glockenspiel Restaurant, 605 West 7th Street, St. Paul, MN 55102. The evening will include Tumbolas and entertainment to kick off the weekend fun! Of course, the food is fantastic! See Minnesota Tartan Day Web site.

Milwaukee, WI
Tartan Week in Milwaukee includes Kirking of the Tartan at All Saints Cathedral 818 E Juneau Ave. Milwaukee, Wisc. on April 15th 2012 at 2:00 PM. See Milwaukee St. Andrew Society.

New York, NY
Tartan Day in New York has become a Tartan Week from April 10th-14th, 2011 and details on most of the events are available on the website at Tartan Week The main event is, of course, the parade organised by The National Tartan Day New York Committee, with over a thousand pipers and drummers marching along Sixth Avenue on Saturday, 14th April. The Tartan Day Parade will start at 2:00 p.m. and proceed north along Sixth Avenue from 46th to 58th Street past Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall, finishing just opposite Carnegie Hall, named for the renowned Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. In addition, there is a Kirkin of the Tartan organised by the St. Andrew’s Society of New York on Thursday, April 12, 2012 and a Pre-Parade Ceilidh organised by the New York Caledonian Club on Friday, April 13.

New Zealand
Tartan Day in New Zealand is always the 1st of July. This commemorates the repeal, on 1st July 1782, of the Act proscribing the Tartan. Information of events in New Zealand are available from Ballantrae, P O Box 33581, Takapuna, New Ulster, New Zealand.

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The Sons of Scotland Pipe Band cordially invites everyone to celebrate Tartan Day on Sunday, April 8th 2012 at Parliament Hill, Ottawa from 12 noon to 1pm with Celtic entertainment by the Ingleneuk Scottish Country Dancers and members of many area highland dance schools, and of course piping & drumming by the Sons of Scotland Pipe Band! Participate in the event by wearing your kilt, tartan hat, scarf, tie or sash. Entry is free! Note that April 6 is officially Tartan Day in Canada, but come out on the 8th to mark this achievement in Ottawa.

Parkersburg, W.Va
A Tartan Day event was originally held at Belpre, Ohio, but they have changed the name and moved to a larger location across the Ohio River to Parkersburg W.Va. So the Scottish and Celtic Heritage Festival of the Mid-Ohio Valley will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., April 21, 2012 in the Parkersburg City Park Pavilion. The festival will feature Scottish dancing, music and food, children's games/crafts including a Design Your Own Tartan coloring contest. There will be genealogy help and local history on hand as well. Tickets are $5 at the door/kids 12 and under are free. See also their Web site: Scottish and Celtic Heritage Festival.

Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh’s Annual Tartan Day Celebration will be held on Saturday, April 14th 2012 from 11 am to 4 pm at the Reizenstein Education Center located at Penn Avenue and East Liberty Blvd. Come and join them for a day of piping, highland dancing, Scottish foods, Scots Gaelic, vendors, workshops, clans and much more. FREE ADMISSION AND PARKING For further information, please checkout pittsburghstartandaycelebration.com or contact the organisers by email via tartandaypa@verizon.net

Portland, OR
First Annual Tartan Day Celebration at Paddy's Bar and Grill, 65 SW Yamhill Street in Portland, Oregon is scheduled for Saturday April 9th 2011 starting at 6 pm. Featuring a piper, live bands (the McMulligans, The Angry Scotsmen - and others), a special Scottish menu, and one of the largest selections of Scotch in the Northwest. No admission charge - contact hmack19@hotmail.com or call Harold McKinnon on 503-914-8669.

Québec, Canada
In 2003, the Québec National Assembly passed an Act recognising that Scottish immigrants first settled in Québec over 400 years ago, making the Scots one of the founding peoples of Québec and that the Scottish community of Québec has significantly contributed to the economic, social and cultural development of the province. The Act also proclaimed Tartan Day to be 6 April in each and every year. Other than the French who constitute the majority of citizens in the province, no other nationality or group of ethic origin has ever received such an honour.

Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill, NC
The 2011 Triangle Official Tartan Day Celebration will be held on the weekend of April 9 & 10 2011 at another new location - Poplar Creek Village in Knightdale, NC. See also the Renaissance Faire Web site.

Reno and Carson City, NV
In 2011 there are three separate events in Reno:
On April 6th, the Nevada Society of Scottish Clans will be at the Legislature in Carson City to serve shortbread and refreshments to all comers from 9 am till 3 pm in room 3100 of the State Legislature building.
On April 6th - An all day celebration at Foley's "Scottish for a Day" (Irish usually) Pub on South Virginia Street in Reno immediately following the event at the Legislature. Drink specials (including a selection of brews and Single Malt) and Scottish menu for the day. Pipers, dancers and others to perform. (No cover, family friendly, non-smoking.) For more information, see Nevada Society of Scottish Clans.
On April 9th - A Tartan Day Ceilidh will be held from 6-10 pm at Studio on 4th, Reno, co-sponsored by Nevada Society of Scottish Clans and Scottish-American Military Society-Post 1864. Finger food, cash bar, music and fellowship for all. $10 per person.

Rochester, NY
The annual Rochester Tartan Day Celebration will be on 8 and 9 April 2011. There is a Tartan Day Dinner on Friday, April 8th, 2011 at McGinnity’s Party House, 534 Ridge Road West, Rochester. Social Hour begins at 5:00 PM and Welcome and Grace at 7:00 PM before a Buffet Dinner. On Saturday, 9th April, stop by the Clan tents and learn about Scotland's rich history (and family rivalries), attend a seminar or two to learn something new, pick up some swag from one of our vendors, or grab a pint and some haggis while you listen to traditional and modern Scottish and Celtic music. The fun starts at noon on Saturday at Main Street Armory 900 East Main St. Rochester, NY (same venues as last year). For all the details, see Rochester Tartan Day Web site. and tickets are only $10 per person at the door - children under 12 are free!

San Antonio, TX
San Antonio will be celebrating their Tartan Day at the Alamo, followed by the two-day San Antonio Highland Games and Celtic Festival on 2/4 April 2011. The beautiful ceremony is set against the battle-scarred front of the Alamo--where so many Scots and those of Scottish descent gave their lives. This year, there is a dedication at the Alamo, 8 April 2010 (changed from the 7th). The Highland Games has the usual piping competition, heavy athletes, and they also have "living history" groups Of Vikings, and Picts & Romans.See also Scottish Society of San Antonio

San Diego, CA
Since 2004, a coalition of San Diego's major Scottish organizations have staged Tartan Day celebrations for the San Diego community. The tradition continues in 2011 with a festival at the International Cottages, Balboa Park on Saturday, April 7, 2012 from noon to 4pm featuring continuous entertainment and displays of Scottish wares. The Scottish Clan and Tartan Information Center will help visitors find their own tartans. Admission to the festival is free and open to the public, and traditional Scottish fare will be available for sale. See Tartan Day, San Diego for more.

St Charles, MO
The annual Scottish Heritage "Tartan Day Festival" on pril April 13, 14 and 15, 2012 will again turn Main Street and Frontier Park into a tartan waving, kilt swaying, bagpipe playing, rousing celebration. For more details please visit the Missouri Tartan Day Festivities Web site.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The first official Annual Tartan Day in Toronto took place on April 13th, 2007. This year's event is on Friday 6th April when they will be celebrating everything Scottish in Toronto with the biggest tartan event in the city. They are in the process of arranging this event, so register your interest now by signing up on their Web site at tartanevents.com. A good way to support Tartan Day is to wear a Kilt at home, work or even at your school/university. This is day is about having some fun and supporters of Tartan Day (heritage or no heritage) are very welcome to join in.

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
The St. Andrew's and Caledonian Society and other Scottish groups in Victoria, British Columbia have arranged for the members of the Victoria Joint Scottish Council to have a public celebration of Tartan Day at Market Square on Saturday, April 7, 2012. There will be live performances, and members of the Council will have information booths. The Victoria Joint Scottish Council, through newspaper ads etc., encourages people to wear their tartan on April 6/7.

The Victoria Joint Scottish Council is sponsoring the annual Kirkin' o' the Tartan on Sunday, April 15, 2012 at St. Aidan's United Church.

Washington DC
Annually on April 6 the National Tartan Day Society of Washington hosts a gathering of Scots at the State Capitol Building in Olympa, Washington to publicly read the US Senate and House resolutions. Latterly, that has been replaced with the reading of the Presidential proclamation. The ceremony also features a Pipe Band and Highland dancers.

Wellington OH
Wellington Eagles, who meet at 631 South Main St. Wellington Ohio, are having a Tartan Day Pub Night on March 31st 2012. For more information, email LSPhillips50@frontier.com.



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