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Tartan Day 2012 Is Fast Approaching

LIVONIA (WWJ) - The Scottish American Society of Michigan says tickets are sure to sell fast for the 9th Annual Tartan Day Celebration, held on March 31.

Franklin Dohanyos said this year, the group gets its own Tartan.

"The Tartan is the traditional outfit that is worn by Scots. Each clan has their own Tartan and a lot of societies have Tartans, the U.S. Marine and Navy all have Tartans, the United States has a Tartan. And so, my wife found this website and you're allowed to create your own tartan. So we created about eight different ones and whittled it down to three, and then we let society members vote on which one they'd like to adopt as our official Tartan," he said.

Dohanyos said Tartan Day commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, which asserted Scotland's sovereignty over English territorial claims. He said the Scottish American Society of Southeast Michigan Tartan reflects the seasons.

"It's a big deal. We are now official. We've got a beautiful Tartan to go with out clan crest. There are a lot of fall colors in it, that happens to be a favorite season for many of us in the group, and it has a lot of colors and just represents the seasons of Michigan actually, white for the snow and blue for the skies of summer and red for the autumn leaves," he said.

The Scottish American Society of Michigan Tartan Day Ceilidh at Monaghan's Knights of Columbus in Livonia will include three bands, Highland Dancers and a "Full Meal With Two Meats." Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for kids under 10. Funds raised will go toward a fine arts scholarship at Alma College.

For tickets and more information, visit www.scotsofmichigan.com.

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