It was a small group of six volunteers who made the Tartan Parade (dreamed up by Tania Pramschufer of Hand Up Events) become a reality. And they did a fabulous job.
On Saturday some 1,600 people registered to take part in the inaugural Edinburgh Tartan Parade and marched through the city centre in bright sunshine
This event is modelled on the New York City Tartan Day Parade held on or near Tartan Day (6 April) each year for the last quarter of a century.
In New York the custom is to have a personality to lead the parade as Grand Marshal and on Friday night it was announced that Kyle Dawson the President of the National Tartan Day New York Committee would be the dignitary on the parade.
The Rt Hon Lord Provost, Robert Aldridge, and TV personality, Gail Porter also followed the High Constables of Edinburgh.
From Shetland there were two Jarl Squads – sponsored by Northland Ferries who brought them across the sea to the mainland so that they could then make their way to Edinburgh to take part. The Shetlanders are also stalwarts of the New York parade.
We have hundreds of photos to process as well as video (it will take ages!), but for now here are some photos…
The names of all those taking part in the first Edinburgh Tartan Parade were:
- ● The Rt. Hon. Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant of the City of
- Edinburgh & six High Constables,
- Kyle Dawson President of The National Tartan Day New York Committee,
- Gail Porter Fair Trade Ambassador
- ● Tartan Parade Scotland Organising Team
- ● Tartan Parade Scotland Friends & Family
- ● Pulse of the Place
- ● World Fair Trade Tartan
- ● The City of Edinburgh Council
- Depute Lord Provost, Council Leader, The Bailies, Political Group Representatives, City Officers &
- Edinburgh Captain and Lass
- ● Edinburgh Police Division Senior Management Team
- ● The Court of the Lord Lyon
- ● The Heraldry Society of Scotland
- ● James Gillespie’s High School Pipe Band
- ● LNER
- ● Belhaven Brewery
- ● ScotlandShop
- ● The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs
- ● Denny High School Dance Academy
The second group taking part in the parade comprised:
Group 1 Section 2
The Royal Mile (High Street)
● Clan McKay Drummers
● Clan Mackay Society of Scotland
● Color Guard of the St. Andrew’s Society of Washington D.C.
● Caithness Youth Pipe Band
● Clan Italia
● Lindsay School of Dancing
● Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
● New York Caledonian Club
● Balerno & District Schools Pipe Band
● International Tartans
● The American-Scottish Foundation
● National Records of Scotland
● Clan MacLennan Scotland Association
● Accrington Pipe Band
● Nesting Jarl Squad
Group 2 Section 1
St Giles Street
● Display Team of Champion Drum Majors: THE FORCE (Group 1)
● Association of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Scotland
● Hawick Scout Pipe Band
● The Society of William Wallace
● Cheryl Heggie School of Dance
● Samaritans Scotland
● Pentland Caledonia Pipe Band
● Witches of Scotland
● Still Rollin’ – A Bay City Rollers Fan Community
● Gleadhraich
● Bay City Rollers Fan Community
Group 2 Section 2
St Giles Street
● Scouts Scotland Pipe Band
● Sarah Hendry School of Dance
● Autism Acceptance Tartan
● Association of Hackney Carriage Drivers
● Stockbridge Pipe Band Edinburgh
● Clan Lamont Society
● College of Master Kilt Tailors
● Banff Castle Pipe Band
● Promotional Warehouse
● Lochcarron
● Brenda Ronnie School of Highland Dance
● SAPD Pipe Band
● Grassmarket Tartans
● Discovery Dance
● 21st Century Kilts
● Eagle Pipers Society
Group 3 Section 1
West Parliament Square
● Display Team of Champion Drum ● Scottish Arts Club
● Burntisland & District Pipe Band
● Individual Parade Participants
● Individual Parade Musicians led by Pipe Major Bob Orridge
● History Matters Ltd
Group 3 Section 2
West Parliament Square
● Scotpipe
● Fair City Baton Twirlers
● Armstrong
● Pidfiguny Family
● Dunfermline District (RBLS) Pipe Band With guests from East Riding Pipe Band
● Crofthead Farm Community Centre
● Universal fans of the Bay City Rollers
● Moodiesburn and District Pipe Band
● Reely Jiggered
● Tartan Creations by Yvonne Macrae
● Tynecastle Youth Community Pipe Band
● Delting Jarl Squad
● Combined Banchory and Robert Gordon’s College Pipe Bands
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
