Tartan Day on Ellis Island

[M. A. C. Newsome]

A busy three days!

People would arrive to the island by the ferry, seeing Scottish flags to announce that Tartan Day was being celebrated on the Island.


And if the flags were not enough they were greeted by pipers and dancers.

The Rampant Lion Pipe Band



One of the dancers was Bonnie Greene, the kiltmaker herself!


Even the food court was getting into the spirit with a Tartan Day lunch special!


Of course then there is the exhibition area itself, which the musicians and dancers were there to draw them in to see!



This exhibition was a fantastic opportunity. Normally when we set up information tables at Highland Games and Scottish festivals it is really like "preaching to the choir" in many ways. People are there generally because they have some interest in Scottish culture already. But on Ellis we got a chance to introduce a bit about the tartan tradition in Scotland to people who were absolutely unfamiliar with it. Most found it quite interesting. Plus Ellis Island sees visitors from all over the world. Not only did I talk with people from California, Wisconsin, Florida, Ohio, and even North Carolina, but I also met many people from Scotland, England, France, Jamaica, and even China.


Above is Bob Currie talking with a group of tourists about tartan.


Gillian Swan from VisitScotland was also on hand, helping out and promoting the release of the 1911 Scottish census online. Here she is talking with the Rampant Lion Pipe Band members.


Bob Curry looking up a tartan for a young lady.