Tartan Day 2004!

A harsh, slightly overcast afternoon, over 1920 marchers, and some 53,000 spectators made for a glorious Saturday, April 3rd, as Thomas Grotrian and Magnus Orr, the Batman and Robin of the piping world, once more dared the skirlin' of Scotland's national instrument to take over Avenue of the Americas and West 44th Street. This was the sixth consecutive year that the folks at Pipefest.com coordinated the event, in partnership with the British Consul General, VisitScotland.com, the British Tourist Authority, the St. Andrew's Society of the State of New York, The New York Caledonian Club and the American-Scottish Foundation.

Yer auld Uncle Fergus was on hand when the Thurso Pipe Band, one of our four visiting Pipe Bands from the Auld Sod --- Scotland, of course! --- hung out in full splendor underneath ABC News' Good Morning America SuperSign! The Thursans date their Pipe Band from 1913, and as such are one of Scotland's oldest Pipe Bands.

Led by Ernie Lackey's Atlantic Watch from Neptune, NJ, the marchers proceeded from 44th Street and Avenue of the Americas to the end of West 58th Street, as was the case in 2003, the marchers completed the short 2-hour parade with a repeat of what we ended up calleing the "Bagpipe Block Party," outside of, by some twist of fate, 58 West 58th Street, where several of the featured Pipe Bands got a chance to get a few honks in (along wi' a couple of photo ops, too!) before de-camping tae their favorite area pubs for the remainder of the afternoon. Our new friends, the Bermuda Islands Pipe Band, received from yers truly a standing invite to visit the Long Island Scottish Games that August; they never made it there, but we still liked them, anyway. Serving once more as Senior Drum Major was Manchester, CT's own Ox Gara, who told us that he, too, might have his Regional Police & Fire Pipers pencil in a return tae the Gardens! Click here fer the full line of march for the 2004 New York National Tartan Day Parade.

But the party wasna over just yet .... assuming, o' course, you happen tae be a member of the New York Road Runners Club. The followin' day, long after the Parade had finished, Force Lebow staged its first-ever Tartan 10K Run, daring any and all who took part in it tae run in their kilts (literally)! I imagine it were quite a hoot! (Heh-heh!) Of course, some o' Scotland's finest Highland Pipers positioned themselves along the route tae pipe the runners out o' the startin' gate, as well as tae welcome them tae the finish line. Check out some really cool photos from the "Scotland Run" here!

The world of the Highland Pipes is always a special world for the folks at Pipefest.com; and on August 21st, 2005, that world will see a remarkable milestone: the 10th Anniversary of the first global Massed Pipes and Drums at Edinburgh!

During the year, an unprecedented programme's worth of entertainment and special events will take place in honor of this all-important milestone, with every bagpipe-themed event in Scotland, from the Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade to the Worlds at Glasgow Green, complementing the Parade itself. The goal: 20,000 Pipers and Drummers --- the largest single block of Massed Pipes and Drums in history --- taking over Edinburgh's historic Holyrood Park!

Keep on tellin' yer friends, spreadin' the word in the national and regional media, and just do what ye must tae get the word out: but remember, this promises tae be the biggest bagpipe related celebration ever --- and, as always, yer auld Uncle Fergus and the Bagpipers' Paradise will be here coverin' every second leadin' up tae this spectacular event. Already there are some 2700 Pipe Bands and individual Pipers from all over the world registered with Pipefest.com to participate in this ultimate blending of every tartan color on Earth!

We're looking forward to joinin' our friends at Pipefest.com as they count down tae breaking their biggest-ever record for largest block of Massed Pipes and Drums! And here be a note tae all at Guinness World Records:

If ye donna give this event the big two-page milestone that is its rightful due in yer 2006 book, I'll haunt ye with every breath I can blow in me pipes! That's a promise!

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