Attracting more than twice as many guests as last year, the annual evening dedicated to Scottish poet Robbie Burns continues to thrive in Fort Frances.
Talking to a handful of the 138 attendees at La Place Rendez-Vous here Saturday evening, it was clear the reasons to pay tribute to Burns year in and year out were as varied as the number of family tartans in Scotland.
“I’ve come to this for many, many years. And I have to say, I particularly like the new format with the women,” said Jack Cameron. “And besides, I only get to eat haggis once a year.”
“The pipes. I love the pipes,” added Bill Low, who was chatting with Cameron about the “old days” of the men-only revelries that used to take place in the basement of the Rainy Lake Hotel.
“My father asked me to come out with him tonight and I thought it, why not, it will be a good time,” remarked Mike Allison as he joked around beside his dad, Bill, at the table.
Still others had even closer roots to the Highlands.
“I was born [in Inverness] and I came here because, during World War II, my father [a Canadian soldier] met my mother. It’s kind of a tribute to that,” remarked George Supinski.
“I had to come out–I’m Scottish,” echoed Edith Rawlins, who added she’s read books about the ceremony behind the Robbie Burns celebration but hadn’t been to one before.
And like all the Scots there, she was eager to share a tidbit of her heritage.
“I’m not sure if he’s any relation but in 1754, Thomas Rawlins cut his kilt in half and wrapped it around himself, creating the first short kilt we see today,” she noted.
Yet another newcomer to the dinner was Mariette McRae, who called it a “very nice evening in all.”
“The entertainment was excellent. The Northern Timbers, the pipe and drums–there were many good things,” she said.
Other entertainment included Borka Gauthier’s troupe from Fort Dance Studio, the Fort Frances Highlanders, Danette MacDonald, Dr. George Elliott, Wayne McIntyre, Lindsay Hamilton, and the harp and fiddle duo of Stephanie Hawkins and Katherine Williams.
And true to any Robbie Burns celebration, formalities such as the “Toast to the Queen,” given by Cst. Paul Pirie, and the “Address to the Haggis,” spoken by Carole Mackintosh, rounded out the evening.
But with such an enthusiastic bunch on hand, co-organizer Dr. Bruce Lidkea admitted there was a hitch to the record crowd–he wasn’t prepared for it. The result was delays in both the main course and the after-dinner entertainment.
“I was overwhelmed by the support, by the number of people who came. The best problem you can have is too much support,” he remarked.
“But I think next year we’ll have to be prepared for that–tighten up the program while still providing as much entertainment as possible,” he added.
This year’s Robbie Burns Supper was sponsored by Lakeland Personnel.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
