On or near January 25 every year since 1801, people around the world have been paying homage to Scottish national poet Robert Burns, most famous for writing “Auld Lang Syne,” at an event called a Burns Supper.
The Presbyterian Church has historic ties to Scotland, and the Greenwich Burns Supper is a fundraiser for First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich. With 75-100 attendees, it has been called the largest Burns Supper in Connecticut. The Greenwich Pipe Band will kick off the lively evening with a rousing performance followed by a buffet dinner and Burns’ songs performed by Scottish singer Lesley Craigie.
Who Was Robert Burns?
Robert Burns was a famous (and infamous) 18th-century Scottish poet with far-reaching influence on American writers and songwriters. Bob Dylan has acknowledged that Burns‘ “A Red, Red Rose” was his single most important inspiration; John Steinbeck got the title for “Of Mice and Men” from “To a Mouse,” and J. D. Salinger’s inspiration for the title “Catcher in the Rye” was Burns’ “Comin’ Through the Rye.” Michael Jackson’s opus “Thriller” was inspired by Burns’ “Tam o’ Shanter.” Burns’ songs and poems have been translated into more languages than any other works except for Shakespeare and the Bible.
EVENT DETAILS
Burns Supper
Saturday, January 25, 2025
First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich
1 West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830
6 p.m.-9 p.m.
$35 FPCG members, $65 nonmembers; prices go up to $45 and $75 after January 17
Tickets include a three-course meal, entertainment, non-alcoholic drinks, and a whisky toast.
https://www.fpcg.org/burns
