2025 ASF TARTAN WEEK EVENTS
A great way to begin parade day as pipe bands from near and far join us with great music and dance. Once again we will be filling the air with the sound of bagpipes in the run up to the Parade.
Event Information
- DATE: Saturday April, 5th, 2025
- TIME: 10:00 AM - 12.45 PM
- LOCATION: Bryant Park
- TICKETS: No tickets required. The event is for all the community.
Musical program includes:
- Shot of Scotch
- Songs for All
- Joy Dunlop and 2025 Tartan Week MOD Winners
- Atholl Highlanders
- Falkirk Pipe Band
- Act School & Denny Dance School
- Renfrewshire Pipe Band
- Oban School
- Shamrock and Thistle
Performers
Shot of Scotch, Highland Dance Troupe
The members of Shot of Scotch all have solid backgrounds in competitive highland dance and many are teachers with a wide range of skills including Scottish country dance, singing, guitar, fiddle, tap dance, acting and more that allows them to explore far beyond the expected bounds of a Scottish highland dance troupe!
Shot of Scotch has been seen performing all across the lower mainland and around the world. A highlight of 2016 was an invitation to Paris France to perform and teach at the 8th Annual International Body Music Festival, a large international gathering of top caliber artists from all across the globe.
The dance company has worked with Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas, the Royal Academy of Bhangra, the Seaforth Highlanders, RCMP Division “E” Pipes and Drums, popular Celtic band Blackthorn, Vancouver Fiddle Orchestra, among may other pipers, fiddlers and renowned musicians. The dance company has also collaborated with other ethnic dance groups including Serbian and South Asian troupes for a unique multi-cultural persenation.
Shot of Scotch brings innovation, showmanship, and passion for highland dancing to every event.
Joy Dunlop
Raised in the small village of Connel on the west coast of Scotland, Joy was steeped in the musical traditions of Argyll since childhood. While maintaining a deep connection to these roots, she has risen to great honours as a vocalist, with a string of awards including the Royal National Mòd Gold Medal and two consecutive nominations as Gaelic Singer of the Year.
A passionate ambassador of Gaelic language and culture, Joy is also in demand as a television presenter, dancer, journalist and educator. She recently joined acclaimed Scottish duo Twelfth Day on the collaborative album Fiere and has also lent her talents to recordings with numerous other international artists.
A seasoned and spirited live performer, Joy has toured from Europe to North America to New Zealand and performed at international festivals including Celtic Connections and Celtic Colours.
Shamrock and Thistle
The Shamrock and Thistle Pipe Band was founded in February 1974 under the direction and tutelage of Pipe Major Dennis Staer and Drum Sergeant, William King, Sr.
The original idea for the band was that of James Curry, Esquire, a Toms River attorney whose love of bagpipe music, although not a player, promoted the initial gathering of prospective students. Through long and tedious lessons, and countless hours of practice, the band began to emerge.
After 49 seasons the Shamrock and Thistle Pipe Band has compiled an admirable record, including numerous appearances at festivals, ethnic affairs, and bicentennial events. The band attended dedications all over New Jersey and New York , including the New Jersey Vietnam Memorial, Gulf War Veterans in Seaside Heights, and the 175th Anniversary in Freehold for the Adelphia Fire Company.
The bright yellow color of the dress MacLeod Tartan, the "skirl" of the pipers and drummers led by Drum Major Thomas J. King, Pipe Major William J. King, Pipe Sergeant Keith A. Tice, and Drum Sergeant John J. King, will surely strike a thrill in your soul. Our instructor for piping is: John Cumming for beginners. Drumming instructors are: Drum Sergeant John J. King for snare drummers, Thomas J. King for bass, and Tim Cook for tenor drummers.