Gail Porter leads annual Tartan Day parade through New York

Gail Porter leads the parade. Picture Martin McAdam

The event in its 25th was one of the biggest ever with around 3,600 people marching down Sixth Avenue, many playing the bagpipes.

Along with the politicians, there was The Lord Lyon King of Arms, Dr Joe Morrow, representatives from cultural groups such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, VisitScotland, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and school pipe bands.

Porter, following in the footsteps of names like Sir Billy Connolly and KT Tunstall, led the crowds in a mini kilt designed and styled by Howie Nicholsby of 21st Century Kilts in the World Fair Trade Tartan.

She was accompanied by the young members of Edinburgh’s Pulse of the Place, a samba drumming band which is based around the free sessions they run in various parts of Edinburgh including Drylaw, Leith, Newhaven, ranent and at Fet-Lor Youth Club. A few of the young people in New York attend two groups a week.

The band were supported on the bagpipes by their patron Louise Marshall who is the World Fair Trade piper. She said the group had obtained special permission from The Proclaimers to perform 500 Miles on the parade.

Ian Murray – page 10