How Vancouver is celebrating Scotland’s national poet for 264th Robert Burns Day

Vancouverites are celebrating the life and legacy of Scotland’s most famous poet, exactly 264 years after Robert Burns was born.

For Jan. 25, Robbie Burns Day, a variety of local events have been organized on the poet’s birthday, including haggis suppers and whisky tastings.

Odd Society Spirits kicked off celebrations last Thursday by releasing a limited edition Robbie Burns whisky.

Jan. 26, which happens to be Odd Society’s weekly live-music night, will be the last day the downtown distillery plans to serve special cocktails inspired by the poet.

 

 

 

 

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Simon Fraser University also plans to celebrate Burns Day one day late with a free two-hour event at the Burnaby campus.

From 2:30-3:15 p.m., English professor Leith Davis is scheduled to deliver a lecture on Robert Burns and the history of his special day, which will be followed by a Q & A. After a 15-minute intermission, the SFU Research Centre for Scottish Studies will continue the celebration with live music and performances, including a group rendition of Auld Lang Syne.

The university emphasizes that no haggis will be served during the event.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the Museum of Vancouver celebrated the history of haggis in Vancouver, and the dish's connection to Robbie Burns Day.

“James Inglis Reid Ltd. was the place to purchase the best haggis in town,” reads the post, which explains the Scottish-style butcher shop opened at 559 Granville St. in 1908.

“The shop not only prepared orders for Burns Suppers held in the city and surrounding areas but was so well known that it fulfilled orders from towns across B.C., including Chilliwack, White Rock (and) Cranbrook,” the MOV wrote.

While the business closed in 1986 to make way for the Pacific Centre shopping mall, the MOV has provided education resources pertaining to James Inglis Reid, haggis and Burns Day on social media.

For those interested in experiencing the gastronomic traditions of Burns Day, you may be out of luck. A Jan. 25 supper at Hycroft, organized by the University Women’s Club of Vancouver, has already sold out—but there’s still a chance to eat haggis and celebrate Scottish culture next month.

The organizers behind Gung Haggis Fat Choy, a fusion celebration of Robbie Burns Day and Lunar New Year, say the 2023 event will be on Feb. 19 at Floata Seafood Restaurant in Chinatown.

“We want to make sure we have an event that is safe for people, so logistics will be careful for a hybrid in-person and Zoom event,” reads a recent post on Gung Haggis Fat Choy’s Facebook page.

“It’s also a very, very busy time for both Chinese musicians and bagpipers…please be patient,” the post continues.

A previous Gung Haggis Fat Choy take-out menu for two people featured corn soup with “egg clouds,” spicy jelly fish, haggis dumplings, and long life noodles.