An estimated 50,000 Scotland supporters have descended on Boston over the past week, turning the city into a tartan-clad party zone. The highlight? A playful hoax by Governor Maura Healey, who initially declared that haggis was legal in Massachusetts—only to later reveal it was a joke.
"I have received countless messages from Massachusetts residents, Scotland supporters, legal experts, and at least one very concerned sheep," Healey wrote on Instagram. "After careful review by my office, I am prepared to clarify that this was, in fact, a joke."
While the haggis liberation mission failed, the Tartan Army succeeded in winning over Bostonians. From adorning statues with traffic cones to kilts on every sidewalk, the Scottish invasion has been impossible to miss. The takeover of Fenway Park on Sunday night saw 10,000 Scots singing about John McGinn, proposing on the big screen, and even a local organist displaying a "No Scotland No Party" sign.
One lucky Scot even scooped the 50/50 draw jackpot. Two days later, thousands returned for Pride Night as the Toronto Blue Jays played. Now, talk turns to thousands descending on Miami for the Marlins game next week.
The love affair between Scotland and Boston is truly one for the ages.