Locals Celebrates the Poet Laureate of Scotland During Annual Burns Night

The Old Post Office on North Maine Street was the site of the Annual Burns Night birthday celebration on Saturday, January 28 honoring Robert Burns, Poet Laureate of Scotland. The party included a tasting of 17 varieties of single-malt Scotch, a three-course dinner, bagpiper music, and of course the Address to the Haggis.

Zip Upham led the evening's activities with the haggis presentation march and performed the Address of the Haggis in his best Scottish accent. Bagpiper Reay Palmer, Pipe Major for the Sierra Highlanders provided the evening's music. Nancy Upham served the haggis after its official address, encouraging each diner to sample the Scottish specialty. The Courtyard Cafe provided the dinner comprised of potato leek soup, fresh rolls and butter, an entrée choice of prime rib or salmon served with green beans and mashed potatoes, with a dessert of bread pudding complete with whipped cream and whiskey sauce. Zip recited the post-dinner Toast to the Lassies. Kelli Kelly provided the return toast reciting the Lassies Reply. After a series of informal toasts with Scotch or other beverages of choice, in a wonderful accent Tamara Erickson recited Robert W. Service's poem “The Cremation of Sam McGee.” The evening concluded with “Auld Lang Syne” played on the bagpipes and all diners singing along.