Burns Night… three ways to put on a fantastic themed night

Put on a braw Burns Supper

Three ways to celebrate the life of the Scottish poet Robert Burns on 25 January…

Go classic

Hosting an authentic Burns Supper with dinner service and formal dress code (kilts optional) will make for a fantastic experience for customers.

A traditional Burns Supper starts with cock-a-leekie soup. For main, a classic Scottish dish of haggis with mashed swede and potato (neeps and tatties). Create a veggie haggis using oats, lentils, beans and seeds.

Steak pie is often served after haggis. For dessert, off er cranachan – a delicious mix of cream, oats and raspberries.

It wouldn’t be a traditional Burns Supper without some theatrics. Address the haggis before tucking in, recite Burns’ poetry, toast to the lassies with a dram of whisky and end the evening with dancing.

Fun for little ones

While most Burns Nights are aimed mainly at adults, there are activities your venue could host for children to learn about Scotland and its traditions.

Simple ideas such as colouring sheets with pictures of dancers, bagpipes and food are easy and cost-eff ective to produce.

Whisky tasting

If poetry and kilts aren’t right for your venue, consider hosting a whisky tasting evening. The beverage is famously Scotland’s national drink and there are more than 100 distilleries across the country – it doesn’t get much more Scottish!

For a more authentic evening, why not invite a representative from a distillery to host the event and talk your customers through the diff erent drinks and taste profi les.

Small plates will complement the tasting experience well. Aside from the obvious haggis, try serving traditional Scottish foods such as black pudding, Arbroath smokies, Scotch lamb and Scottish wild salmon.