Inaugural Edinburgh Tartan Parade expected to draw 1,600 people this weekend

Kicking off at 1pm on at the City Chambers in the High Street, the parade will then head down Cockburn Street, across Waverley Bridge and through East Princes Street Gardens before ending at the Mound Precinct alongside the National Galleries of Scotland.

Around 1,600 people are expected to join the celebrations, with Gail Porter and the New York Tartan Week president among the guests. The event will be followed by a ceilidh at 2pm at the Ross Bandstand and a gala concert at the Usher Hall at 8pm featuring the internationally renowned Red Hot Chilli Pipers and top Scottish folk band Rura.

Gail Porter and Eileen Longmuir will be among the guests at the first ever Edinburgh Tartan Parade | Submitted

Edinburgh-born Gail Porter, who will host the Usher Hall event, said she was thrilled to be joining the parade. She said: “I’ll be wearing the Fair Trade tartan with knee-high Doc Marten boots. Tartan was not really a family thing for me – but I was such a fan of Vivienne Westwood – she made it look so rock and roll.”

Pipe bands and traditional dance troupes from around Scotland will also be taking part, alongside participants from Australia, America, France and Sweden – as well as more than 100 Bay City Roller fans from around the world.

The organisers of Edinburgh Tartan Parade have invited Kyle Dawson, president of New York Tartan Week to be the Grand Marshal of the event – which will now be held every year. He said: “I’m very excited to be coming and it was such an honour to be named Grand Marshal. New York Tartan Week is such a special event – I have had Scottish visitors come up to me in New York and say ‘I have never felt more Scottish than I do today.’”

New York based Suzan Rostron of the world-wide Bay City Rollers fan community Still Rollin’ said fans will be coming from around the world to Edinburgh to join the parade. Suzan said: “We all had the same experience as 12 and 13-year-olds falling in love with them.

“We were a fan community even then – we all had pen pals all over the world and to see where we are today 50 years later is just fantastic. I wanted to know everything about Scotland – and we all feel the same way – it’s our mecca. We have events all over the world – but the ones in Scotland are special – and we are thrilled that Eileen Longmuir will be there – she is our queen.”

Eileen Longmuir, wife of the late Bay City Roller Alan Longmuir, will be wearing the purple and pink tartan created in her husband’s memory. She said: “It’s always fantastic to be in Edinburgh, it was where Alan was brought up. He was born in Caledonian Road and he used to play on the banks of the Castle.”

Edinburgh Tartan Day organisers said the parade will celebrate Scottish tradition and the open-hearted and generous global spirit of Scotland. Among the tartans represented will be the brand new-Autism Awareness tartan, the Samaritans tartan and the Witches of Scotland tartan.

Edinburgh Tartan Parade founder Tania Pramschufer said: “We want everyone to come together in the name of tartan and to have a wonderful time. It’s not just about identity, it is about community. We want everyone to feel part of something really Scottish and to enjoy walking through the beautiful streets of Edinburgh on the glorious route which takes us from the Old Town to the New Town.”

Cllr Lezley Marion Cameron, Edinburgh’s Depute Lord Provost said: "Edinburgh is proud to host the first Tartan Parade Scotland, aligning with our city's 900th anniversary. This event not only celebrates our history but also our commitment to cultural diversity and community engagement.”

Tickets for the evening concert cost £38.50 and £35.20 and can be purchased via the Usher Hall website.