April 6, every year, is Tartan Day around the world. It celebrates the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320. The celebrations began in Canada in 1987, came to the USA in 1998, and to Missouri in 2000, thanks to the hard work of Scots from all over Missouri and the leadership of former State Senator John Loudon.
This year, the celebrations continue.
On April 4, bagpipers will perform on the floor of the Missouri House (10am), and on the lawn of the Governor’s Mansion (noon). The state will also host a visit from the current British Consul General John Saville, (formerly the UK Ambassador to Venezuela), during which he will deliver an address in the Missouri House Chamber.
On April 6, Missouri State University in Springfield will recognize Tartan Day on campus.
On April 7 and 8, Sainte Genevieve will host Scottish Days. As the event organizers write on their site, “This event is a weekend celebration of Scottish culture and heritage featuring athletics, dance, bagpipes, artisans, a parade, and Scottish family history. Kilts and tartan dresses encouraged, but not required. Celebrate your Scottish heritage, or just be Scottish for the day!”
A little to the north, in St. Louis, on April 7, the Scottish St. Andrew Society of Greater St. Louis is hosting a Scottish Immersion Event from 1-4pm. The event celebrates Scottish and Scottish-American culture and history where you can immerse yourself in various aspects of Scotland—from kilts to cuisine to language. You will see demonstrations of dancing, music and maybe even participate in a game of curling! It’s a perfect ‘drop-in’ event. This event is open to all, FREE of charge and is perfect for families.
And on top of all this, the official Missouri State Tartan continues to progress towards becoming, well, official. It has already been passed by the Missouri House thanks to the leadership of Representative Derek Grier, and it has now headed over to the Senate, where Senator Dave Schatz is guiding it towards the finish line.
Not from Missouri but still want to celebrate Tartan Day? Here’s just a few Tartan Day events from around the country that I found on Facebook.
Now, go get yer kilt on!