The 'Boston cone' arrived at Boston Logan International Airport on Tuesday, greeted by bagpipers, diplomats, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. The orange traffic cone, which traveled first-class from Glasgow, Scotland, is part of a fundraising effort for mental health charities.
A Symbol of Summer's World Cup Spirit
Governor Healey signed the cone during a ceremony in Terminal E, calling it a symbol of the summer's events in Boston. 'This cone tells the story of what happened this summer. What happened in Boston, what happened in Massachusetts,' she said. She also thanked Scottish fans for their beer consumption, joking that Massachusetts would never run out of beer again.
Scottish Fans' Impact on Boston
During the World Cup, Scottish fans, known as the Tartan Army, placed orange traffic cones on statues across Boston, including Samuel Adams at Faneuil Hall, Red Auerbach outside TD Garden, former mayor Kevin White near Quincy Market, and the Make Way for Ducklings statues in the Public Garden. Bars struggled to keep up with demand, with some running out of beer.
From Prank to Icon
The tradition of placing cones on statues began in Glasgow in the 1980s as a prank and became a symbol of Scottish humor. The Duke of Wellington statue in Glasgow, often topped with a cone, has become iconic despite efforts to remove it.
More Than a Cone
Danny Campbell, one of the cone's Scottish escorts, said, 'It's an in-joke that's gone too far, actually. But no, it isn't a joke. This is a metaphor for life.' He explained that the cone represents joy and connection, adding, 'This is not just a silly cone. It means love, and that is the whole point.'
Fundraising Tour
The commemorative cone, decorated with illustrations of Boston and Scotland and the slogan 'No Boston, No Party,' will visit landmarks across Massachusetts for a week to raise money for mental health charities before returning to Scotland.
