The Palmetto Pipes & Drums will perform at the Robert Burns Dinner Robert Burns was born January 25, 1759, on the Carrick border of Scotland where singing songs and writing new ones were part of the local tradition. It was a great diversion to the drudgery of hard farm work.

As his fame as national bard became established, Burns continued to write in his own Scots dialect, defying those who governed. In searching for the roots of a poetry deep in the hearts of the people of Scotland, Burns introduced something startling and daring into the literature of the time.

Burns was ahead of his time, and his true interest lay in the metric irregularity of Scottish folksongs. His poems represented a turning back to the period when Scottish literature was both Scottish and literary.

Burns was the parochial poet who started rhyming for fun, and a man of independent mind. Ultimately, he attained the universal admiration that his great work deserves.

Robert Burns died in 1796, 213 years ago, and left behind a revitalized cultural heritage of which we are all still proud today.

Robert Burns, the Bard of Scotland The Robert Burns Society of the Midlands organizes a Burns Dinner in January of each year to celebrate the life and works of Rabbie, The Bard. Several hundred people attend this grand Scottish event and show. This year they will be celebrating Robert Burns's 250 Anniversary of his birth. It is the time for all of us to gather, show our colors, and stand proud for Scotland and the Bard.

The 31st Annual Robert Burns Dinner of the Robert Burns Society of the Midlands will be held January 31 at Seawell's at the Fairgrounds, 1125 Rosewood Drive. The gathering will begin at 6 pm and the dinner will begin at 7 pm. There will be entertainment with Scottish dancing, songs, and bag pipes.

All seating is reserved with tables of eight or ten. The cost is $50 for adult RBSM member, $55 for adult non- RBSM member, and $14 for children 12 and under. For membership or dinner reservation information please call Lois Lockhart at 798-2206 or go to our Web site at www.rbsm.org.