A celebration of Scottish heritage in Cochrane will be coming to town on Jan. 25 with the return of the Cochrane Pipe Band's annual Robbie Burns Dinner.
Leslie Deans, event coordinator for the Cochrane Pipe Band, explained that the event will help raise money for future training, musical instruction, and potential travel for an instructional trip planned for 2026.
The event itself celebrates the Robert Burns, a poet and lyricist, who is considered to be the national poet of Scotland.
“Some 250 years ago, he was Scotland’s rock star poet, for a lack of a better word,” Deans explained. “And so, we will be celebrating all things Scottish.”
The evening will include a performance by the band itself, alongside other traditional Scottish festivities.
“There’s going to be a toast to the lassies and laddies, 'An Address to the Haggis,' all the Robbie Burns poetry, all the accolades that go along with it, and everybody wears their tartan and their kilts,” Deans said. “We have a full roast beef dinner, including haggis, so an absolutely fantastic dinner.”
The Calgary-based band Cabot’s Crossing will also be performing East Coast, Celtic, and traditional Scottish music.
The Cochrane Pipe Band has been in the community since 1999. Deans explained that it was first started by her husband Rick Deans, Susan Flowers, and a few other members of the community.
“The band has built up since then,” she said. “I think we look great on parade, we’ve all got matching uniforms, we’ve got a great selection of music, and we have some of our own tunes that are unique to us.”
Deans believes that the Robbie Burns dinner perfectly showcases who they are as a group. She looks forward to seeing members of the community return to the event, adding that the group really appreciates their continued support.
“Some people have been coming to our Robbie Burns dinner for over 20 years, so we really enjoy those returning people and the support they give us,” Deans said.
The event will take place at the Cochrane RancheHouse, with tickets selling for $125 for a seat or $1,000 for a table of 8. To reserve a seat or table, contact the Cochrane Pipe Band by via www.cochranepipeband.ca, [email protected], or by texting 403-850-0128.
