Food: An authentic Scottish four-course meal, prepared by yours-truly and his wife:
- Cock-a-leekie soup A chicken and leek soup
- Haggis with champit tatties and bashed neeps Haggis is basically a lose oatmeal sausage, champit tatties are mashed potatoes, and bashed neeps are mashed swedes (aka rutabagas or yellow turnips = yummy!!!)
- Typsy Laird A sherry trifle (sponge cake, fruit preserves, sherry, and a custard topping)
- Bannocks and cheese Bannocks are an unleavened oat-cake.
Entertainment: Three featured entertainers, plus contributions from the audience
- Mid-Missouri Bagpipers We'll have EIGHT bagpipers plus drums playing a collection of Burns tunes among other selections.
- Wooden Voices This is an eclectic local group of (mostly) acoustic instruments, playing a very wide range of tunes, but for this night with a Celtic twist
- Central Missouri Celtic Arts Association We'll have musicians and dancers from the CMCAA, demonstrating traditional Scottish country dances with live accompaniement
- Cilidh Sort of a Scottish "open mike" time -- members of the audience will read Burns poems, sing songs, play instruments or otherwise entertain us
Speeches, Toasts and more
- Address to the Haggis The haggis is piped in with great ceremony, followed by Burns' "Address to the Haggis" and a toast!
- The Immortal Memory The keynote address, a speech about the life, times, and works of Robert Burns emphasizing his relevance today and supported by examples from his works. At the end of the speech, a toast to "The Immortal Memory of Robert Burns, the Bard of Ayr."
- Toast to the Lassies Offered up by the gentlemen "in support of" the ladies, this tongue-in-cheek toast is a highlight of any Burns Supper.
- The Lassies' Response Turn about is fair play. Now it's the ladies' turn to "thank" the gentlemen for their "kind words." Another fun highlight in the evening.
The toasts are all to be made with single malt scotch whisky (of course! (though we do have softer fare for those who prefer)), and the meal will be accompanied by Schlafly Scotch Ale (again with softer beverages available). Coffee and Tea will follow the meal.
Dress for the event will range from "business casual" through formal. Kilts and tartans are not required but are encouraged for any who feel so inclined. I myself will be in full Scots regalia:
Now doesn't that sound wonderful? Please join us! Tickets must be purchased in advance (due to park regulations) and can be purchased from the website. The event runs from 6:00 PM till around 9:30 or so, and is at the Riechmann Indoor Pavilion in Stephens Lake Park, 2300 East Walnut St., Columbia, MO 65102, with easy access off of I-70.