The Boothbay Railway Village and the Saint Andrews Society of Maine invite the public to join them in celebrating Tartan Day on Saturday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Brunswick Scottish Country Dancers will demonstrate Scottish dance and invite the public to join in, harps and bagpipes will be played, and Scottish textile arts will be demonstrated. Admission is free, a suggested $5 donation benefits the two non-profit organizations.

National Tartan Day commemorates the Scottish Declaration of Independence, on which the American Declaration of Independence was modelled, and recognizes achievements of Americans of Scottish descent. April 6 was designated National Tartan Day by the U.S. Senate in 1998. The Scots are famous weavers. Tartans were traditionally hand-woven, and handloom weavers were the largest single group of skilled craft workers in Scotland in the first half of the 19th century. 

5.5 percent of Maine residents are of Scottish descent, the highest percentage of any state in the union. Scots began coming to Maine in the first waves of European immigration, many of them settling in the Midcoast region.

Thistles & Things will have gifts for sale with a Scottish flair. Bill McKeen, historian for the St. Andrews Society of Maine, will have a large collection of books and printed resources as well as his own extensive knowledge to share. Maine kiltmaker, Teri Wading, will have a swatch book handy so guests can search for their family’s tartan.

There would be not tartan without wool. At Tartan Day, guests will meet sheep and their keepers, Tami and Bob Wayboer, from Shadow Hill Farms in New Gloucester. Hunter, their Scottish Collie, will also attend. They will demonstrate carding the wool and have samples of fiber in various states of processing to see and touch. Carding is the process used to separate and straighten the wool fibers. The result is a batt of lofty wool that makes spinning easier.

Merry Auld Tea Company will be offering scones, Scottish tea blends, and Cock-a-Leekie soup for sale. Cock-a-Leekie is a traditional Scottish soup prepared with chicken, leaks and rice or barley.

For more information on Saint Andrews Society of Maine visit http://mainehighlandgames.org.

The Boothbay Railway Village is located at 586 Wiscasset Road (Route 27) in Boothbay, Maine. For more information about Tartan Day (including a detailed event schedule) or the Museum visit www.railwayvillage.org or call 633-4727.