Doug Marr, a proud Scot from Australia, came to Hawai'i with his family for the sun and the beach and to attend a friend's wedding.

Much to his surprise, he was able to celebrate his heritage yesterday along with hundreds of others at the 26th annual Hawaiian Scottish Festival at Kapi'olani Park.

"Funny, that, a Scottish festival in Hawai'i," said Marr, 31, a construction manager whose back is almost completely covered with a tattoo of the crest from his family clan. "The last thing I expected to see here was tartan."

Marr was referring to the traditional plaid kilts that were seen throughout the crowd yesterday as residents and visitors alike gathered under sunny skies to enjoy the music, dance and food of Scotland.

Marr, who arrived Thursday for a weeklong vacation, said he happened to see a sign at his Waikiki hotel about the festival, so he and his wife, Jade Marr, 29; their children, Kendall, 3, and Jackson, 6 months; and other family members dropped by to see what was happening.

They liked what they saw.

As bagpipes played in the background and dancers did their thing on a nearby stage, Marr said the festival was "icing on the cake for this holiday."

The festival is sponsored each year by the Hawaiian Scottish Association, and this year's version included musicians and entertainers from Hawai'i as well as the Mainland, Canada and beyond.

Stephen Craven, vice chieftain of the association, guessed that roughly 10 percent of Hawai'i's population has Scottish ancestry. But the majority don't realize it, Craven said, because they have become so "Americanized."

Craven said the Scottish have some remarkable historical parallels to Native Hawaiians. At one point in Scotland's history, for instance, the British banned Scottish dress, language and even bagpipes, not all that different from when Native Hawaiians at one time were prohibited from speaking their language and doing other things from their culture, he said.

Yesterday's activities marked the final day of the two-day affair, which has been growing in recent years and was expected to draw thousands.

Among those in the crowd yesterday were O'ahu residents Suzanne Gandaoli, 47, and her husband, Theron Gandaoli, 40, who both have Scottish ancestors. It was their first time attending the festival, and they brought along visiting family members from Texas. "It's been very interesting and entertaining," Suzanne Gandaoli said. The dancers and musicians "are all very talented."

While the festival had plenty to offer about Scotland, one missing element was the country's national drink. Park rules prevented the association from setting up a Scotch-tasting booth, Craven lamented.

Reach Rob Perez at rperez@honoluluadvertiser.com.