New York Tartan Day Parade April 5, 2014

**Border Reiver** · 29th March 14, 12:18 PM

I just might have to stop at both places, the Perfect Pint and St. Andrews.

**ctbuchanan** · 29th March 14, 03:57 PM

I see that St. Andrews is doing a Scottish Breakfast that morning which will certainly add to the crowd. But it's a great pub and the crowd will be all wired up.

**Just Hugh** · 29th March 14, 04:48 PM

I was at Ellis Island today for what was ostensibly the opening event for Tartan Week. It was a pretty subtle "Opening Event."

The Clan Currie sponsored exhibit, "Scots in the American West," about the various cowboys with Scots heritage featured a hosting Clan Currie member dressed in cowboy hat and a fringed leather jacket featuring turquoise details with a Clan Currie kilt, and I couldn't help thinking about the nine pages of debate about whether or not I should wear a baseball cap!

**Border Reiver** · 29th March 14, 05:00 PM

Looks like I should be arriving in NYC about 10:40 or so.
Just Hugh will you be staying the week, can we look forward to seeing you along the parade route?

**Just Hugh** · 29th March 14, 05:21 PM

Thanks for asking, Border Reiver, but we just took a ferry over to Ellis from the New Jersey side for a few hours to see our band play. (We didn't suit up and play due to all the security clearance and the time commitment. A further parenthetical on the security - I was the only kilted person with a sgian dubh since I have a dummy one that I gave my son when he was too young for a real knife. Getting onto Ellis Island is like getting into an international airport - metal detectors, etc. The band had to give passports and other identification ahead of time to get on the island with the instruments and all the drum cases. Really crazy security!)

I won't be able to make next weekend's events because I'm working. I started to try switching and gave up early in the process. Maybe next year I'll plan ahead and request it off.

Have fun without me, though, baseball caps optional.

**Just Hugh** · 1st April 14, 08:24 PM

In response to AFS1970

Originally Posted by Just Hugh

A further parenthetical on the security - I was the only kilted person with a sgian dubh since I have a dummy one that I gave my son when he was too young for a real knife. Getting onto Ellis Island is like getting into an international airport - metal detectors, etc. The band had to give passports and other identification ahead of time to get on the island with the instruments and all the drum cases. Really crazy security!)

Dummy Sgian Dubh? Who knew it had a use? I was just buying time till my son was old enough for a real one. Turns out there's a need for them sometime.

**MacBean** · 3rd April 14, 01:08 PM

We'll be there for Tattoo and parade ... go every year under the Clan Chattan banner. Now if only we could get the MacPhersons to join us - they are always late... (inside joke of sorts)

**AFS1970** · 4th April 14, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by Just Hugh

Dummy Sgian Dubh? Who knew it had a use?

I looked at buying one when I went on my cruise. While I have heard that most people do not have a problem getting them on board, the cruise contract specifically said no knives. While mine are both inexpensive, I have no intention of loosing one to confiscation. I ended up with a bottle opener instead of a plastic knife as I thought it looked better.

**bonnie heather** · 29th March 14, 05:44 PM

Yesterday I was at Ellis Island doing a bit of dancing in the rain with John, the kilted juggler and Mike, the piper.
Lots and lots of tourists were getting on and off the ferry boats and we were all trying to catch their attention and let them know about the special exhibit inside. My guess is that an unusual outfit, like the one described, helps stir people's curiosity about what's going on.
Who knew that Wild Bill Cody, Butch Cassidy (the Sundance Kid) and John Muir, the naturalist and conservationist who helped preserve Yosemite Park - were all Scots!!

So... I think that's a good thing!

**Just Hugh** · 29th March 14, 06:04 PM

I completely agree, Bonnie Heather Greene (your name always seems like the name of a garden.) I was wearing a kilt that you made when I was there.

The jugglers were there today as well, and they were wonderful with the children - my 6 yo daughter particularly. So much so, that I worried that I had not prepared for the possibility that she would wet her pants from laughter. I was relieved that she didn't have to make the return trip regimental style.

We're going to watch "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," with a different awareness that both "Butch" and "The Pinkerton's" were Scots.