Burns Banquet

[low_delta]

Every year the Milwaukee St. Andrew's Society hosts the Robert Burns Banquet. It's a formal event. I plan on upgrading my outfit so I can go in black tie next year. Earl always invites us to sit at his table. He and his wife provide springs of heather for us to wear. Another guest at the table gifted us with copies of his daughter-in-law's book, The Distance Between Us. Cocktails, then dinner of steak and salmon (which are always most excellent).


This is Ian giving his rendition of "Address To A Haggis" complete with (half of the) honor guard. That's my dad with a sword, second from the left.


Two pipe bands performed, and these four members of the second did their own performance. A singer performed one or two songs, but was often drowned out by the bagpipes.


There were several performances by Scottish dancers. Later, there was Scottish country dancing with instruction for people to join in.

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

I love it.
:)
Your dad looks like he's taking his honour guard duties very seriously!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

The guy next to him, in the light blue, seemed to be smiling in several of our photos. That's not allowed! ;-)

[zitronenhai.livejournal.com]

Holy shit, I want to attend something like that!!!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Let me know if you ever want to join us. :-)

[planetgeorge.livejournal.com]

I'd love to go to a Burns Supper one of these days....and try haggis.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I think the Milwaukee Burns club does a Supper every month. Do you have a Burns club, or any Scottish organizations there?

[planetgeorge.livejournal.com]

The closest Scottish organization that I know of is the St. Andrew's Society of Philadelphia. That's about 80 miles away from me. Evidently that's the oldest St. Andrew's Society in the U.S. and it was founded in 1747. I've checked out their website but it has no info on it about joining. And the closest Robert Burns Association is in Annapolis, Maryland, which is about 3 hours away.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

That's pretty far away. :-(

That one is about a hundred years older than ours, and we're the oldest charitable organization in Wisconsin.

[planetgeorge.livejournal.com]

Philadelphia is about 80 miles away so that would be doable. I'm not sure how to join the St. Andrew's Society, though. My dad is a member of the St. Andrew's Society in Tampa so I should ask him.

[ravenfeather.livejournal.com]

Did you have a good TIME??

What makes black tie vs.... bow tie?

[ravenfeather.livejournal.com]

Ok, I see from Cynn's entry that you wear a plaid tie, and most in your photos wear black bow ties, so to re ask my question, what in the clothing allows you to wear a black tie?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

The event is "formal." Formal means tuxedo, otherwise known as black tie. Notice in the pictures of the honor guard, that they're wearing short jackets. They're not tails, but they're the Scottish "Prince Charlie jackets." (http://www.scotweb.co.uk/products/classic-prince-charlie-jacket-and-vest/) The bow tie is standard with tuxedos. Some of the guys have ties in their tartans, which match their kilts, of course.

Me, I'm just wearing a suit. Not formal formal. But they weren't going to kick me out.

See Black tie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_tie).

[ravenfeather.livejournal.com]

So basically you are going to get a Prince Charlie jacket... ok. I have to admit I am kind of disappointed in that answer. I was hoping there was some kind of secret ceremony where you were given some special article of clothing with a secret handshake or something.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Well, I think many of our members are Masons. That's where they get their secret handshake fix, I guess.

I'll need a Prince Charlie, vest, tux shirt, bow tie and the special shoes (see photos). And also a dress sporran. I still need a sgian dubh. Eventually the fly plaid or whatever they call it, draped over the shoulder and pinned with a big fancy pin. Balmoral cap, maybe.

[sirreal13.livejournal.com]

Looks like bizarre and ostentatious* fun!

___
*to borrow from someone's horoscope.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

A little bit, yes. :-)

[ravengirl.livejournal.com]

I don't know if I've said, and I know I'm not commenting anywhere very often these days, but I love these posts. I read them all and, of course, I love the photos, too.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :-)