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Sam Heughan Returns to Lead NYC Tartan Day Parade
13 Jan
Summary
- Sam Heughan will again serve as Grand Marshal for the 2026 NYC Tartan Day Parade.
- The parade celebrates Scottish heritage and attracts over 30,000 spectators.
- Outlander's popularity has significantly boosted Scotland's tourism industry.

Actor Sam Heughan is set to reprise his role as Grand Marshal for the 2026 New York City Tartan Day Parade, a significant event celebrating Scottish heritage that draws upwards of 30,000 spectators. Heughan previously held this esteemed position in 2016.
Heughan expressed his deep honor in returning to lead the parade in 2026, viewing it as a full-circle moment as Outlander enters its eighth and final season. He highlighted the parade's unique ability to unite the Scottish community, both locally and internationally, and eagerly anticipates marching up Sixth Avenue.
The NYC Tartan Day Parade, established in 1999, follows the US Senate's 1998 designation of a national Tartan Day each April. Outlander's success, stemming from its 2014 debut, has become a powerful driver for Scotland's tourism sector, dubbed the 'Outlander effect.'



