Burns Night in America
Each January, communities across Scotland—and across the world—gather to celebrate Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet. What began as a tribute to one writer’s work has become an annual tradition that blends poetry, music, dancing, and food, giving people a way to connect with Scotland’s culture
Eilidh MacKinnon, Deputy Head of the Scottish Government in the USA, frames Burns Night as one of Scotland’s most distinctive cultural keystones—“it’s a very romantic thing for a nation to have a national poet, and one who is so widely celebrated.” In the United States, Burns Night often serves that same purpose: a gathering point for Scots abroad, for people with family ties, and for those who simply feel drawn to Scotland and its culture.
Summer McCall, a Scottish musician and ceilidh caller in New England, emphasizes that: “there’s nothing that really encapsulates [Scotland] as well as a Burns Night can.” For first-time attendees, that’s the magic: it can be an entry point into Scottish culture that’s welcoming, participatory, and memorable.
Photo: Evan Jackson
A tradition that continues to evolve
In Scotland, many people grew up with a familiar Burns Night structure—formal readings, set toasts, and a menu anchored by haggis, ‘neeps’ (turnips), and ‘tatties’ (potatoes). MacKinnon recalls that the format could feel both fixed and highly ceremonial: “there was definitely a structure to what a Burns night had to be.” Over time, she has seen the event open up for hosts to keep tradition while shaping the rest to fit the atmosphere of their evening.
That flexibility matters in the U.S., where audiences can include diaspora communities, Scottish alumni networks, local cultural groups, and curious newcomers who may not arrive with deep background knowledge. The most successful events tend to preserve tradition while also giving people easy ways to join in.
From McCall’s perspective, this modern approach is not dilution; it’s stewardship. A contemporary format can help the tradition endure by making it more inviting across generations.
Photo: Evan Jackson
What makes a Burns Night memorable
Ask what a Burns Night needs at minimum, and answers often converge on three elements: poetry, music, and shared participation. The rest—menu choices, dress code, and the order of toasts—can vary by host, venue, and community.
MacKinnon’s essentials are grounded in hospitality and atmosphere, and she doesn’t pretend otherwise: “no Scottish celebration is complete without a wee dram of whisky.”
McCall’s checklist is even more direct: “Dance, music, poetry. Yeah. Side note, whisky.” The heart of it, for both of them, is participation: Burns Night sticks with people when they feel part of the room.
Photo: Evan Jackson
Not Your Usual Burns Ceilidh: Somerville, January 23
This year, NTSUSA is helping host a modern Burns Night celebration in the Boston area: Not Your Usual Burns Ceilidh, held at the Crystal Ballroom in Somerville on Friday, January 23, 2026. Hosted in partnership with NHSCOT, the British Consulate General Boston, and Scots in New England, the evening is designed as an accessible, contemporary take on the tradition—anchored in community, dance, live music, and poetry, with light refreshments and a cash bar.
The program includes a Highland dance performance by the Stiles School of Highland Dance, and live music by acclaimed fiddler Hanneke Cassel (a Berklee College of Music graduate and champion Scottish fiddler).
McCall, who will serve as emcee, highlights what matters most to many first-timers: you don’t need to arrive with a built-in group: “you don’t have to know anyone to come and have a great time.” MacKinnon expects attendees to leave with joy and connection: “a warm, fuzzy feeling, not just from the whisky,” and a stronger sense of belonging to a broader Scottish community.
Not Your Usual Burns Ceilidh – 2026 (NTSUSA in collaboration with NHSCOT and Scots in New England)
Friday, January 23, 2026 | 7:00–10:00 PM (doors open 6:30 PM)
Crystal Ballroom, Somerville, MA
Tickets (ages 15+): $32 advance / $45 at the door
Other Upcoming Burns Events
January 16, 2026
American-Scottish Foundation’s 30th Burns Night Gala Celebration
University Club, New York City
January 24, 2026
96th Annual St. Andrew’s Society of Los Angeles Robert Burns Supper
Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles At Beverly Hills
January 27, 2026
Chicago Scots’ Burns Night 2026
Martyr’s Live, Chicago, IL
January 30-31, 2026
Burns Distilled
Conwell Hall, 6 Hanover St, New York, NY
January 23-24, 2026
The Spirit of Scotland: A Glenapp Burns Celebration
Glenapp Castle Hotel, Ayrshire, UK
February 7, 2026
Saint Andrews Society of San Francisco’s 163rd Annual Burns Supper
609 Sutter Street, San Francisco