Kilt skating is taking off in New York City — even during the pandemic. After all, this year’s kilt skate motto is: “our faces may be masked, but our knees will be bare!”

The third annual Tartan Kilt Skate NYC was held once again in the heart of Manhattan, presented by American Scottish Foundation in association with Bryant Park.

The American Scottish Foundation always manages to throw a great kilt skate party including this year, even though some changes were necessary due to the pandemic.

It gives us hope that the protocols will be lifted as the vaccinations roll out. As Frank Sinatra sang it: “if we can skate it there, we’ll skate it anywhere.”

A kilt skate can be a family occasion.

As usual, the event attracted skaters of all ages…

…including future skaters.

The number of skaters on the ice at Bryant Park had to be limited for social distancing. Therefore, skaters were required to book their ice time between 5 and 7:30 pm on Thursday, February 25.

Once again, there was dancing, courtesy of Shot of Scotch.

Just like there were young future skaters, there were also young future dancers.

Members of the NYU Pipe Band provided music to dance to and to skate by. They had not played together in person in a year. This was a welcome break from practicing over Zoom.

The music began in the late afternoon twilight but continued until the moon had risen over the skyscrapers.

Camilla Hellman tells us: “The lights of the city, the setting of Bryant Park together with the sounds of the bagpipes filling the night sky, made it such a unique moment — all the more so in these very difficult times.”

Congratulations to Camilla Hellman and her colleagues at the American Scottish Foundation! In turn, Camilla would like to thank the Scottish Government and Walkers Shortbread for their help in making the 20221 Tartan Kiltskate NYC 2021 the very special evening it was. Camilla adds, “Bryant Park runs such a careful skating experience - our masks and distancing are just part of us now.”

And thanks to James Felder for many of the wonderful photographs of a great night for kilt skating.