Scotties Invade Baileys Harbor

If you’ve ever wanted to be awash in a sea of Scottish Terriers, Baileys Harbor is the place to be. On the weekend of May 16th – 17th the 15th annual Door County Scottie Rally will take place in and around the village of Baileys Harbor.

The real crowd-pleaser of Door County‘s “gathering of the Scots” is Saturday morning’s Scottie Parade. At 11:00 a.m. the sound of bagpipes will fill the air as a pipe and drum corps leads the assembled Scotties and their human companions along a route around the Baileys Harbor town square. The Scotties bark and the parade-goers laugh and applaud as they take in the sight of  over 150 Scotties showing off their clan plaids.

Most of the weekend’s activities take place outside of the public eye as the dogs and their companions gather at a property near the village to engage is Scottie races, face painting and anything else to do with their beloved dog breed. There are also more serious break- out sessions about Scottie health and behavior issues. Canine experts will be in attendance to consult with individual dog/human combos regarding their needs and concerns.

The first Door County Scottie Rally was held in 2001 by Tom Bronsky and Michell Geiger Bronsky to engage other Scottie lovers. It was successful enough that they decided to make it an annual event. Three years later they formed a 501(c)(3) non-profit to support not only the annual Rally but also greater causes for and concerns about the Scottish Terrier breed.

On the middle weekend in May, Door County will be showing off its spring best. It is well worth a trip to Baileys Harbor on Saturday to take in the Parade of the Scots and stay for lunch and a little shopping.