Just as everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, during celebrations on Robert Burns Night, everyone is an honourary Scot.
Burns Night was attended by about 200 people, who gathered in the Legion Memorial Hall for the festivities. The 2901 Estevan (Elks) PPCLI Army Cadet Pipes and Drums sponsored the event, piping in the haggis, as well as giving a brief background of Burns' life, and a reading of some of his poems.
Before the evening's entertainment of pipe-and-drum music by the cadets and Highland dance, courtesy of the Drewitz School of Dance, some of the formalities of Burns Night were carried out.
Emceed by Pipe Sergeant Jesse Dunford, the night kicked off by piping in of the head table, followed by piping in of the haggis, the traditional Burns Night fare.
Pipe Sergeant Wyatt Dunford led the way, ahead of Drum Sergeant Jordan Gervais carrying the sword, Pipe Lance Corporal Athena Nash with the haggis, Mark Fergusson with the sword, Drum Master Corporal Eric McLean with the scotch, and Pipe Lance Corporal Shelly Guertin-Schmidt with the quaich, a Scottish cup.
The cadets have been organizing the Burns Night since the first celebrations in Estevan in the 1970s. Burns Night celebrates the life and works of Scottish poet Robert Burns, who died in 1796. These events are held all over the world and have been celebrated for more than 200 years.
McLean gave the address to the haggis and Fergusson read the Selkirk Grace, marking the beginning of the feast. The Immortal Memories of Robert Burns was read by Wyatt Dunford.
After dinner the music got started and the Drewitz dancers put on a Highland dance showcase for the crowd. A dance with DJ Dave Elliot, concluded the event.
