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It was always intended to move the St Andrew's Day Rally around, in the hope of stimulating interest in such events elsewhere in Scotland. This has slowly but surely started to happen, and Edinburgh now has its Winter Festival from St Andrew's Day to Ne'erday, and is amply catered for. As a result, the 2011 St Andrew's Day Rally moved to Armadale, West Lothian. It took place in 2012, in Bathgate, West Lothian. Further information can be found on the West Lothian St Andrews Day Rally pages on Facebook.
Marches and rallies have been promoted and held elsewhere, too - the largest of these probably being the one held in Dundee in November 2014, with another being planned again for this year.
The intention of this website now is to advertise any St Andrew's Day Rally being held anywhere in Scotland on or near the appropriate date. Information (including posters and photographs) may be sent to us via the Contacts page on the menu, for inclusion on the site. Please supply as much detail as you can, and also any links to websites or FaceBook pages allied to the event.
The Saint Andrew's Day Rally web site was started on the 5th of December 2003, following the inaugural parade in Edinburgh on Saturday the 29th of November 2003. The Rally became a regular annual event, and the most recent rally in Edinburgh took place on Saturday, 28th November 2010.
Led, traditionally, by the magnificent Stockbridge Pipe Band as always, the march commenced on the Castle Esplanade before heading straight down the Royal Mile, finishing in front of the Parliament building for the speeches. The police estimated that over 500 people took part in the march. 2010's featured speakers were musician Ted Christopher along with Duncan Fenton and George Boyle from the Society of William Wallace. Many thanks to all those who took the trouble to come along and join in, and especially to the tourists who entered into the spirit of things and accompanied the march.
2009's evening event featured Fiery Jack along with Ted Christopher at The Three Sisters, Cowgate, from 7:30 pm to midnight, and was enjoyed by all who attended.
Some film of the 2006 and 2007 marches have been posted on Youtube and can be viewed here and here.
This web site features some pictures and press reports from all eight previous Edinburgh rallies, and will contain other information as it grows.
The original publicity releases for the 2003 event stated:
" All are welcome, this is a family event to celebrate our patron saint - it is not a political event, although politicians are welcome to participate as citizens of Scotland. They will not, however, be allowed to turn it into yet another turgid and dreary day. Bring along your saltires, lions rampant and banners and carry them proudly! Let the world see our pride in our country!
We have made this rally into an automatic annual event, and not just a one-off - it has been running now for nine years. Scotland is one of the few nations on earth which does not celebrate its saint's day or Independence Day. We hope to change that. Please help us to do so.
St Andrews Day Rally Committee"
That attitude will not change. We are not politicians. We are not particularly politically aligned. We merely represent the people of Scotland, whose voice is rarely ever listened to by our political elite, whatever their persuasion or alignment.
The Stockbridge Pipe Band showed their faith in us, and led the initial Parade. Our grateful thanks to them for their superb display on the day, and our assurance that they will always be in the vanguard of the Parade - they performed superbly again in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 - we have no doubt that they will prove to be as professional as always when we return to Edinburgh in the future.
Thanks are also due again to Edinburgh City Centre Management, who gave permission for the Rally, and to Lothian and Borders Police, for their safe, cheerful and highly efficient management and escort of the Parade every year.