Missouri Tartan Day Festivities Enjoys a Muddy Weekend

Despite the wet weather this weekend, bagpipes played on at the 12th annual Missouri Tartan Day Festivities in Frontier Park.

The weekend-long celebration of Scottish-American heritage featured music, dancing, crafts, athletics, storytelling and Scottish-American clans. 

Attendance was low this year, due to the rain, although Missouri Tartan Days Festivities Marketing Director, Laura Messing, says it is impossible to predict by how much as of now.

“Missouri Tartan Day is a fantastic family friendly event that showcases Scottish culture, and in general we have a wonderful turnout from the surrounding communities,” Messing said. “This year we had a much smaller, but no less enthusiastic crowd. It’s nice in a way because you know the people who came really want to be here.”

“[The weather] is something we’re very good at dealing with,” said Gabriel Struckmann, of St. Charles, who helps to organize the Missouri Tartan Day Festivities with his family. “We still strive for prosperity and a good time, no matter what kind of weather we’re dealing with.”

Due to weather radar projections for the day, the Missouri Tartan Day Festivities board decided to end the event early at noon on Sunday. Event-goers left in good spirits.

Dale and Ronae Fisher, of O'Fallon, said they loved the weekend. "This is our fourth or fifth year here. We both take vacation just for this," said Dale Fisher. "And we've never had a dry one," laughs Ronae Fisher.