Members of The Kiltie Band of York, an Lancaster, PA organization founded in 1928, wowed the crowds during the Scottish Christmas Walk in Alexandria, Va (Photo by Lucelle O’Flaherty/TheZebraPress).
ALEXANDRIA, VA–There were hundreds of umbrellas and rain coats covering tartan and scotch plaids when the 48th Annual Scottish Christmas Walk set afoot at 11 am Saturday, December 1, 2018 in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia.
Alexandria’s Scottish Christmas Walk is the summit of Scottish activity in the region for the year when Scottish immigrants and descendants march to the tune of their cultural and genealogical heritage. It’s a way to feel connected with a faraway home and with the ancestors some clan members never got to meet.
The parade is also a chance to give back: proceeds from participation fees benefit the Campagna Center, Alexandria’s leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing educational and social development programs for children, teens, and adults.
Alexandria is steeped in Scottish history—in 1749 it was officially established by Scottish merchants and named after John Alexander. Those merchants were also members of the Saint Andrew’s Society in its early days. (One of them, William Hunter, is buried behind the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria, and before each parade members place a wreath on his grave.)
But Alexandria has an even closer connection to Scotland—there are actually little pieces of it in the streets! During the 18th century, when Alexandria was a major seaport, Scottish merchants sailed to the city using stones for ballast. Upon arrival, the ships dumped the stones in the streets, “lightening the load” as the saying goes. Legend has it that Old Town’s cobblestone streets still contain ballast from those Scottish ships.
Today the rain-soaked streets were lined with families who came out to watch and listen to the brightly colored marching units sporting magnificent patterns of Scottish Clans from all over the Mid-Atlantic region.
Dogs of all shapes and sizes donned plaid along with their owners and happily showed their breed’s pride in the 48th Annual Scottish Christmas Walk. (Photo by Lucelle O’Flaherty/TheZebraPress)
Added to the mix were the stirring sounds of Scottish bagpipes and drums, the clogging of Scottish dancers, the barks of Scottie dogs, Dandie Dinmont Terriers and Cavalier Spaniels along with rescue breeds and Russian Wolfhounds who marched amongst dignitaries, classic cars, Santa Claus, city officials and civic groups.
All trod on through the spattering rain from St. Asaph and Wolfe Streets to the concert-filled conclusion at King Street’s Market Square.
Participating Groups this year included:
Airedale Terrier Club of Metropolitan Washington, DC
Alexandria 4H
Alexandria Commission for the Arts
Alexandria Pipe & Drum Band
Alexandria Rugby
Alexandria Sister Cities
Alexandria Scottish Rite Knights of St. Andrew
Alexandria Seaport Foundation
American Clan Gregor Society
At Home in Alexandria
The Ballyshaners
Basilica School of St. Mary Girl Scout Daisy Troop 60082
Bobby McKey’s Dueling Piano Bar
Brandywine Living
Browne Academy
Brownie Troop 60008
Burgundy Farms
Burke & Herbert Bank (Sponsor)
Carpenter’s Shelter
Celtic Society of Southern Maryland
Christine Garner, Weichert Realtors (Sponsor)
Clan Baird Society Worldwide
Clan Bell
Clan Buchanan
Clan Campbell Society of North America
Clan Chisholm
Clan Colquhoun
Clan Donald
Clan Donnachaidh Mid – Atlantic Branch
Clan Douglas Society of North America
Clan Forbes
Clan Fraser Society of North America
Clan Guthrie, USA
Clan Hamilton Society
Clan Hay
Clan Henderson
Clan Hunter USA
Clan Irwin
Clan MacCallum Malcolm
Clan MacDougall
Clan MacKenzie Society
Clan MacLaren
Clan MacLean
Clan MacLeod Society USA
Clan Macnachtan
Clan MacNeil
Clan MacPherson Association
Clan Maxwell Society
Clan Montgomery Society International
Clan Morrison Society of North America
Clan Ramsay
Clan Scott Society
Clan Sinclair
Clan Stewart and Friends
Clan Strachan Society
Clan Wallace Society
Clan Wardlaw Association
Clan Young Society
Compass (Sponsor)
Cotton & Company (Sponsor)
Daisy Troop 60087
Daisy Troop 60098
Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club of America
Daughters of the British Empire’s Pimms and Poppies Chapter
Edinburgh University Alumni Club of Washington DC
First Night Alexandria
Fort Hunt High School Alumni Association
Fraternal Order of Eagles (Alexandria 871)
Friends of Guest House
Friends of the Torpedo Factory Art Center
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum Society
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Girl Scout Service Unit 53-3
Girl Scout Troop 561
Innes Clan Society
Jaffa Highlanders Band
Kerr Family Association of North America
Kiltie Band of York Pipe Band
Kiwanis Club of Alexandria
Mason-Dixon Collie Club
Mazda (Sponsor)
Menzies Clan Society of North America
McEnearney (Sponsor)
Mid-Atlantic Deerhound Association
Mount Eagle Elementary Girl Scouts
Ms. Ireland USA 2018
Muskets of the Crown – 84th and 42nd Regiments of Foot
National Breast Center Foundation
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, John Alexander Chapter, Alexandria Virginia
Nation’s Capital Jaguar Owners Club
Navarro Construction
Northern VA Sheltie/Potomac Valley Shetland Sheepdog Club
Mary Wadland is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of The Zebra Press, founded by her in 2010. Originally from Delray Beach, Florida, Mary is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Hollins College in Roanoke, VA and has lived and worked in the Alexandria publishing community since 1987.