Bethany Bisaillion and Robert Currie.
Robert Currie of Summit, who produces the annual Pipes of Christmas concerts, is one of the creators of Tartan Day: Project 1320, an online celebration of Scottish arts.
Tartan Day, which celebrates Scottish culture, is April 6, and since so many of this year’s Tartan Day activities have been cancelled, Currie and Bethany Bisaillion, pipe major for the Sons of Scotland Pipe Band, created Project 1320, a virtual concert hall on Facebook. Their goal is 1,320 video posts, showcasing all forms of Scottish art, by April 6. (1320 was the year of the Declaration of Arbroath, which asserted Scottish independence from England.)
“We wanted to create a platform where performers from beginners to professionals could post their work for all to enjoy,” said Currie in a press release. “Both Bethany and I have been producing (Tartan Day) events for over 15 years and we were both heartsick that the global pandemic has caused the cancellation of our events and also Highland games and gatherings. We devised this platform to permit us to celebrate our Scottish heritage in a safe and socially distanced way.”
Bisaillon discusses the project in the video below.
Submissions should be made to Project 1320’s Facebook page at facebook.com/Project1320.
Among the videos currently there are Bisaillon performing “The Battle of Waterloo”; piper Scott Larson and drummer Eli Fugate of the PM Kevin Ray Blandford Memorial Pipe Band performing “Clann Mhuirich”; and mandolinist Mikhail Tobias and violinist Jason Biggs performing Bill Monroe’s “Scotland” at the Bull ‘n’ Bear Brewery in Summit (that video is posted below as well).
Currie previously presented the annual Pipes of Christmas show in virtual form, in 2020, because of the pandemic.
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Virtual Tartan Day 2021
Feeling “crabbit” that the coronavirus just stamped out a second year of most in-person Tartan Day celebrations on April 6? You’re not alone. More than 20 million Americans lay claim they are descendants of Scotland. These Scottish Americans coupled with lovers of Scotland, ordinarily lead to grand attendance at these events. Here’s a safe solution for your sorrow.
First, check out The American Scottish Foundation. Everyday, they are updating virtual events for Tartan Day Week events across the country. You’ll want to hear the pipers, see the clans, and enjoy the parade of tartans by live-streaming.
https://americanscottishfoundation.com/events/2021-NTD-Celebration.html
Second, enjoy tantalizing Tartan Day Celebration Kits brimming with authentic foods, or select delicacies from hundreds of Scottish imported foods offered by The Scottish Grocer, ready to ship in the U.S. today!
The Scottish Grocer
https://www.thescottishgrocer.com/
Scotland’s national dish, haggis, is world famous. Naturally, it’s included in the Tartan Day Luxury Celebration Kit. Traditional haggis is a blend of meat, “neeps and tatties”, or potatoes and rutabagas, ground oatmeal and local seasonings boiled in a bag. Haggis, oatcakes, clotted cream, scones, shortbread and fudge are just a few of the dozen delicacies tucked into the Tartan Day Luxury Celebration Kit. There’s also a Mini Kit with a half dozen treats.
https://www.thescottishgrocer.com/products/tartan-day-luxury-celebration-kit
https://www.thescottishgrocer.com/a/search?q=mini+tarta
We’d love to send you images or samples, just send me a good address.
Sharyl Sutton
Publicist, Orca Communications PR
sharyl.sutton@orcapr.com
706.445.9063