In 2017, I was invited by a Scottish friend to come with her to a parade, not knowing what to expect. What I found was a joyful event filled with music that lifted the soul, Scottish dancers dancing in the street, and many Scottish breeds of dogs.
New York City Tartan Week 2024 culminated with the joyful Tartan Day Parade, which celebrates the contributions that the people of Scotland have made to the United States for hundreds of years, and the continuing bond of friendships between them.
The Tartan Day Parade was started back in 1999 by two bagpipers and a bunch of friends who definitely hit a note that will never be silenced. The following of this parade has grown experientially with each passing year.
On April 6th, 2024, on 44th Street and 6th Avenue, there was no shortage of Scottish dancers and bagpipers, drummers, beautiful kilts, marching bands, or Scottish breeds of dogs. The energy of this small yet mighty parade continues to grow, and this year’s parade had packed sidewalks for the whole length of the parade.
The historical impact these Scottish breeds of dogs have made in the world of dogs is unquestionable, and seeing them in the middle of this parade is amazing considering how rare many of these breeds are.
The breeds that came to meet, greet, and walk in the parade were a fine gathering that included five magnificent Scottish Deerhounds, a Skye Terrier, four Dandie Dinmont Terriers, four Scottish Terriers, 15-20 West Highland White Terriers, four Shetland Sheepdogs, two Gordon Setters, one Collie, one Cairn Terrier, and one Golden Retriever. By the time these dogs hit the parade route, all the spectators were cheering the dogs on and wanting to meet them.
In the end, the dogs did get to have one-on-one time with many spectators. The big crowd-pleasers were the Scottish Deerhounds, which one couldn’t walk past without wanting to shower them with hugs while asking lots of questions.
We look forward to hearing the sounds and sights of Scotland next time while sharing the space with all those majestic Scottish breeds along the parade route.
Showsight Magazine–the world’s most influential purebred dog publication since 1992. Each issue reaches a global audience dedicated to preserving the history and health of purpose bred dogs. Filled with award-winning editorial focused on news and insights from the dog show community, top breeders, handlers, AKC Judges, and more!
