Home is Where the Bard is

25 January is known worldwide as Burns Night - the birthday of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national bard – traditionally celebrated with a meal of haggis, turnip (‘neeps’) and potatoes (‘tatties’), and a wee dram of whisky.  

Burns Night 2021 is not the time to explore Scotland in person, but Scotland fans can still mark the big night by enjoying a host of virtual Burns celebrations and suppers, including: Dumfries’ famous Big Burns Supper - with comedy, music and entertainment – going digital for the first time; the National Trust for Scotland’s Big Burns Night In, streaming live from Robert Burns Cottage in Alloway; as well as haggis producer Macsween’s plans for the largest virtual Burns Supper. 

What’s more, many companies – including Mac & Wild – offer deliveries of everything needed to have the perfect Scottish celebration at home.  Ever wanted to host a Burns supper (albeit on a smaller scale for 2021) but not sure how?* Check out some of the downloadable Burns Night resources from visitscotland.com/burns  and scotland.org/burns  and read on for full details.

The world-famous Celtic Connections is going digital for the first time. Across 19 days, including Burns Night - performances will be available to view online with some of the biggest names on the Scottish music scene and beyond appearing on screens across the world as part of the winter festival. 

Tickets prices vary across the dates.  For the full programme of events and details of how to book, visit www.celticconnections.com 

This special virtual event, hosted by Edith Bowman, comes from the cottage where Burns was born in 1759, with music from folk band Talisk, a cocktail masterclass courtesy of The Glenlivet, exclusive expert insights into the life of Robert Burns, plus some exciting names from the world of comedy and poetry who’ll present a lively and engaging take on the traditional Burns Supper.

Ticket prices from £18 per person.  For more information and to book, go to www.nts.org.uk/stories/burns-big-night-in

Scotland’s largest contemporary Burns celebration Big Burns Supper goes digital for the first time in 2021. Marking the festival’s 10th anniversary, Janey Godley’s Big Burns Supper dishes up a very special broadcast connecting Scotland to the world with contributions from local, national and international artists to help celebrate Burns Night in a way that helps give everyone a much-needed lift and a laugh.   

Broadcast free of charge across Big Burns Supper’s Facebook and YouTube channels, the special 75-minute digital broadcast welcome back a cracking selection of artists including KT Tunstall, Dougie Maclean, Donovan, Tide Lines and Skerryvore who have performed at the festival over the last ten years. Scots comic Janey Godley will host from her own living room as she prepares a Burns supper while introducing guests and festival friends throughout the evening.   Festival favourites Le Haggis will also be making an appearance providing burlesque, comedy and mayhem. 

The event is free. For more information, please go to: http://bigburnssupper.com/ 

Edinburgh-based haggis brand Macsween is aiming to bring (possibly) the largest virtual Burns Supper to homes across the globe. Teaming up with Scottish comedy actor Karen Dunbar, alongside Dr. Rachel Barrie, master blender for Benriach distillery and described as The First Lady of Scotch whisky’, the event will be aired on Macsween’s Facebook page at 7pm. 

The event will be broadcast on www.facebook.com/MacsweenHaggis, and anyone can join in the fun for free. 

Burns&Beyond with Johnnie Walker returns in January 2021, celebrating the life and legacy of Robert Burns through traditional and contemporary art and culture from across Scotland and Beyond. 

Set against a theme of Love, Hope and Kindness, Burns&Beyond 2021 presents a free online programme of live music and poetry from Lucky Middlemass’s Tavern, curated by both Aidan O’Rourke (Lau) and arts collective Neu! Reekie!, a series of online performances to help everyone celebrate their very own Burns Night at Hame and an online celebration of the Burns Collection at the National Museum of Scotland.  Following a sell-out appearance at last year’s festival which helped raise over £10,000 for charity, KT Tunstall returns with a special online Burns&Beyond performance of Ae Fond Kiss.

For the full programme, go to: www.burnsandbeyond.com 

Dust of those dancing shoes with a free live Ceilidh from the Nest Collective. Join in for a night bedecked in tartan and Tam o’Shanters, with whisky flowing and floorboards shaking, all in celebration of Burns. 

Host Sam Lee will guide viewers through the evening. Dance along at home to a live ceilidh band (with Covid-safe demonstration dancers), listen to contributions from special guest musicians, and enjoy the Burns ceremony itself.

The event is free and to register interest go to: https://thenestcollective.co.uk/events/burns-night-2021/ 

SBH (Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus) Scotland has joined forces with Grant’s Haggis and Endura to bring the world together for one special hour of big Burns and entertainment.  The event will be broadcast on the organisation’s YouTube and Facebook channels.  The celebration of Burns includes performances from comedians Janey Godley and Fred MacAuley as well as the world’s leading Robert Burns performer, Christ Tait, as well as Travis front man, Fran Healy. 

This is a free event. To register interest, please see www.sbhscotland.org.uk/content/burns/ 

Celebrate Burns Night with Glasgow Distillery and Once Upon a Whisky. Guests who buy tickets for the online tastings can try five premium whiskies from the Glasgow Distillery Company (which are home delivered) and discover all the secrets behind the first whisky distillery in Glasgow in over 100 years. 

Tickets are £35 (**only available for UK and EU residents) and can be booked at  https://onceuponawhisky.co.uk/guided-tours/online-whisky-tasting/

‘Burns Box’ and virtual poetry readings from Wedgwood the Restaurant

Edinburgh’s Wedgwood the Restaurant has launched a ‘Burns Box’, available UK nationwide, to celebrate Burns Night in lockdown. The Scottish feast includes a copy of Robert Burns’ famous poem Address to a Haggis, a dram of whisky to toast Scotland’s national bard and a five-course Burns supper created by chef patron Paul Wedgwood.  The menu features Whisky and Douglas Fir cured salmon, Wild Highland heather moor grouse ham and a Chocolate and clootie dumpling brownie.  

To finish off the experience Paul Wedgwood will be taking to Wedgwood’s social media on 25 January to pay tribute to the poet, reading the Address to a Haggis at 7:30pm with a wee dram of whisky.

The Burns Night box is priced at £140 for two people and includes free UK nationwide delivery. Additional wine selections from the Wedgwood wine cellar will also be available to order. See www.wedgwoodtherestaurant.co.uk for more information

Showcasing the incredible produce from the Highlands, Mac & Wild offers many of the essentials needed for the ideal Burns supper, delivered to the door.  From a Haggis recipe e-book, to wild venison and lamb haggis, a cocktail minibar and even a Burns Night Haggis taco kit, it’s a taste of Scotland at home (UK only deliveries).  Please go to https://macandwild.com/collections/burns for full details and to order. 

Using neeps from an Aberdeenshire farm, Claire Rennie, founder of small-batch Scottish tonic water Walter Gregor’s has created the world’s first neep tonic water in time for toasting Burns. Launched on 13 January, the Scottish Neep Tonic is a limited edition and is only available on the Walter Gregor’s website for delivery in the month of January.  It is made on site in Aberdeenshire and contains only natural ingredients including carbonated Scottish water, Scottish neep infusion, quinine and sugar from British grown sugar beet. 

All Walter Gregor’s tonics are available to by via the website: www.waltergregors.com  

(For access to the Burns works indicated, see www.robertburns.org ). 

*Please refer to current local guidelines on Covid-19 when arranging a Burns supper.  Please refer to www.gov.scot when looking to plan a visit to Scotland in the future.

**UK/EU only for Once Upon a Whisky/ Glasgow Distillery Company delivery.  See https://onceuponawhisky.co.uk/ for details. 

*Suggestions include:

Scottish bagpiper Laura Marshall, check out: https://www.louisemarshallpiper.com/videos.html”>https://www.louisemarshallpiper.com/videos.html

A Burns Night playlist – curated by VisitScotland – is available on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1o4SqYwTNZ9czUa9C8otWw”>VisitScotland Presents: Burns Night Party - playlist by VisitScotland | Spotify