Get ready to don a kilt and dance the night away to Scottish tunes.
The 7th Annual Tartan Day Ceilidh returns to the Cape Coral Yacht Club to celebrate Scottish music, dance and culture from 7-10:30 p.m. April 4.
Organizer and piper Mary Alice Reesman said the celebration has become a favorite among Cape and Lee County residents, even drawing from as far away as Orlando and Tampa.
At the heart of the event’s draw is the music, which features The Wyndbreakers, returning from last year, and the Lee County Pipes and Drums.
As a piper in the band, Reesman said the group draws its inspiration from its founder, Duncan MacLachlin, who formed the group in 1998.
The group’s tartan — kilt patterns that represent individual clans — is derived from MacLachlin’s heritage, an homage to their founder who died prior to the first Tartan Day celebration.
“When we chose our kilt tartan we chose Duncan because he organized the group,” Reesman said. “He was killed in an accident.”
At the heart of the event is the ceilidh, pronounced kay-lee, which is a traditional celtic occasion that invokes participation from all revelers.
Though ancient ceilidh’s often focused entirely on expression through dance, Reesman added that their particular ceilidh is an opportunity for someone to get involved any way they please, be it with dancing, song, poetry or vibrant limerick.
“Its amazing how many people will join in on the fun,” she said. “Everyone is expected to do something, though they don’t absolutely have to.”
Reesman is wondering if the event will take a hit on tickets this year given the economy.
She said that previous years have seen about 300 people in attendance, and so far ticket sales have been “about par” with previous years.
All proceeds from the event benefit Hope Hospice.
“We’ve never given Hope Hospice less than $1,000, but we’ve given as much as $2,500,” Reesman said.
Tickets are $20, and seats are reserved. Advance ticket purchases are suggested, though there will be a few available at the door.
For more information, contact Mary Alice Reesman at 542-1859, or visit: leecountypipesanddrums.com.