 |
|
            
|
 |
Scots to Close NY Tartan Week on Ellis Island Tartan Week in New York concludes with a family-friendly Scottish festival featuring pipers, drummers, singers and dancers who represent Scotland’s “portable culture” that were brought to this country by Scottish immigrants. Program scheduled for Sunday, April 5, 2009 from 10AM to 4PM.
“Tartan Day on Ellis Island” returns for its eighth annual celebration on Sunday, April 5, 2009. The Ellis Island event will close NY Tartan Week – a seven-day festival of all things Scottish, including the Dressed to Kilt Fashion show and the 11th Annual NY Tartan Day Parade. Clan Currie and Ellis Island will play host to a broad range of outstanding performers who will present Scotland’s “portable culture” – the music, dance, and folklore that were brought to this country by Scottish immigrants. The growing roster of performers includes, Scottish “Folk and Roll” favorites, SCOCHA, the 2007 Glenfiddich Scottish Fiddle Champion Calum Pasqua, renowned “Riverdance” piper Christopher Layer, pianist Susie Petrov, the New York Celtic Dancers, John Grimaldi the Kilted Juggler and the Rampant Lion Pipe Band among others. "We're so grateful to Ellis Island for having us back for our eighth year," said Robert Currie, president of the Clan Currie Society. "This event provides an important opportunity to recognize the vast contributions of Scots and Scottish-Americans to the development of the United States. Our program for 2009 represents some of the best of demonstrations of Scotland’s wonderful music, dance, and storytelling heritage and has been designed to be fun for the entire family.” Ellis Island is a fitting place to observe Tartan Day. The island and its historic buildings represent America's "Golden Door." From 1892 to 1954, more than 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island. Although many Scots arrived during the colonial period of our history – helping to build the new nation - an additional half-million Scots came through Ellis Island. It has been estimated that 40% of Americans today can trace at least one ancestor's entry into the United States through Ellis Island. The Tartan Day event runs from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. There is no admission charge to the Tartan Day events or the immigration museum. Passenger ferries run from Battery Park in New York City and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. For complete ferry schedules to Ellis Island, visit: www.statuecruises.com.
About Tartan Day on Ellis Island Tartan Day on Ellis Island is one of the principal Scottish heritage events in the United States. The program is produced annually by the Clan Currie Society – one of the largest clan societies in the world – formed in 1959 to preserve and promote Scottish heritage and culture. Describing the program, noted Scottish journalist and author Roddy Martine reported that of all the Tartan Day events held in the United States, the Ellis Island observance has, “stood out as a beacon of what USA Tartan Day is all about: the emigrant ancestors of ordinary Americans who over three centuries crossed the Atlantic Ocean to create the world’s greatest democracy.” The Clan Currie Society began its successful collaboration with the Ellis Island Immigration Museum in 2002 in the coordination and sponsorship of their first Tartan Day celebration. Clan Currie and the National Museums of Scotland joined forces to host the traveling exhibit, "Home and Away: Highland Departures and Returns." Click here for a photo gallery of the past Tartan Day programs
Home •
History of the Clan • Clan
Leadership • The Currie Tartan •
Clan News clancurrie@mail.com
|
