Tartan Day is a celebration of Scottish heritage in the U.S. and Canada, happening every April 6th. It’s a day to recognize the huge influence Scottish immigrants had on shaping these countries—think big names like Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Carnegie, and even a bunch of U.S. presidents with Scottish roots!
The date comes from the Declaration of Arbroath (Scotland’s version of an independence declaration) signed in 1320. Fast forward to the late 20th century, and Canada kicked things off by celebrating Tartan Day in the 1980s. The U.S. jumped on board in 1998 when the Senate made it official.
Now, it’s marked with parades, bagpipes, Highland games, and lots of tartan patterns everywhere. The biggest party happens in New York City, where people march through the streets rocking kilts and playing bagpipes.
Basically, if you’ve got any Scottish roots—or just love the culture—it’s a fun excuse to throw on some plaid, listen to bagpipe music, and maybe even sip some whisky!
If you’re interested in celebrating in NYC, check out their official website which has their itinerary for the week! https://nyctartanweek.org
And if you’re also interested in seeing all of the state tartans in the US and the tartans of Canada, be sure to check out the other blog posts below!
Slainte Mhath!
Tartan Feature Part One: State Tartans of the U.S.A.
Have you ever wondered what your state’s tartan might look like, or if your state has a tartan at all? With the amount of Scottish settlers that came to North
Tartan Feature Part Two: Tartans of Canada
With Tartan Day quickly approaching in April, I thought I would add the second installment of the Tartan series I started in October which began with the Tartans of the
