Tartan Day Parade 2025: Who invented Tartan Day and why is there a parade to mark it in New York?

Actor Alan Cumming will lead the parade as Grand Marshal, becoming only the second person to have been handed the honour twice (after Dundoneon actor Brian Cox).

Here’s what you need to know about the event.

When is Tartan Day?

Tartan Day falls on April 6, the date on which the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320, although events often take place on the weekend that falls closest to the date.

When was Tartan Day established?

Tartan Day was first proposed by the Federation of Scottish Clans in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1986, with the first event held on April 6 1987. It officially became a recognised event countrywide in Canada in 2010, by which time it had been exported to the USA.

Why is Tartan Day celebrated in America?

There are an estimated 25 million US citizens who claim Scottish heritage and many are keen to celebrate ‘the old country’.

The US Senate made Tartan Day an official event in 1998 to honour the contributions that American Scots have made to the US.

What is the Tartan Day Parade?

The first Tartan Day Parade in America was held in 1999 when a couple of pipe bands and a small bunch of enthusiastic Scottish-Americans took to the streets of New York, led by first Grand Marshal Oscar-winning actor Cliff Robertson.

Since then it has become a major annual event, with massed pipe bands led by familiar faces such as Sean Connery, Billy Connolly, Sam Heughan and Karen Gillan who have taken on the honour of being Grand Marshal.

Where does the Tartan Day Parade take place?

The parade, which usually includes around 10,000 musicians and tartan-clad participants, takes place on New York’s 6th Avenue.

What is Tartan Week?

Since being established, Tartan Week in New York has been expanded to become Tartan Week - a full seven days of events, from tartan cocktails, to Scottish ceilidh dances. This year will see Scotland’s Hoolie in New York take over Carnegie Hall featuring a host of Scottish musical talent including Julie Fowlis and Dougie MacLean, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Oban High School Pipe Band, Gary Innes and Duncan Chisholm - all hosted by Scottish actor Alan Cumming.

Are there Tartan Day celebrations in Scotland?

Tartan Day is a fairly low-key occasion in Scotland, although events have previously taken place in Angus and Aberdeen.

This year will see the inaugural Tartan Parade take place in Edinburgh on Saturday, May 10, and travel down the Royal Mile and Cockburn Street to the Mound.

What other countries celebrate Tartan Day?

Several countries mark the impact Scotland has had on the world and their own population, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France and Argentina.