How to Celebrate Your First Burns Night in London

Studying English in London? This is your chance to broaden your knowledge of UK culture. This month, we’re heading north — to Scotland.

January 25th is Burns Night: a lively celebration of the eighteenth-century Scottish poet, Robert Burns. Burns wrote over 550 poems and songs throughout his lifetime, but he’s best known for Auld Lang Syne, the anthem belted out at New Year’s gatherings across the English-speaking world. From Bob Dylan to astronauts, Burns has been such an influential figure that his birthday is celebrated as a national holiday, with feasts, music, and dancing.

Want to learn more? Check out our explainer blog.

Here’s the ultimate guide to your first Burns Night in London:

Dance the Night Away at a Ceilidh

A ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) is a traditional Scottish group dance, and it’s a lot of fun. Expect a live folk band, lots of spinning, and a healthy amount of chaos. Don’t worry about getting lost though: the beauty of ceilidh is that anyone can join in, so there’s always someone ready to shout instructions across the dance floor.

Did You Know?

The word ceilidh comes from Scottish Gaelic, meaning ‘visit’ or ‘social gathering’.

Here are some exciting events happening around London:

• The Nest Collective, Grand Junction (January 30th & 31st)
• Burns Night Ceilidh at The Round Chapel (January 22nd)
• The Ceilidh Club, Porchester Hall (January 23rd & 24th)
• Burns Night Ceilidh at St Mary’s Church (January 23rd)

Book a Burns Night Supper

Take your celebrations a step further by attending a full Burns Night Supper, complete with traditional Scottish food, poetry, and a generous helping of whisky.

Dinner is traditionally haggis, neeps, and tatties — or sheep’s stomach pudding, turnips, and potatoes. We promise it’s tastier than it sounds. A classic supper includes an Address to a Haggis, a peculiar (and dramatic) ritual where one of Burns’ poems is recited to the haggis before it’s served. The address is a celebration of everything haggis represents: Scottish pride and humble, working-class food.

With live entertainment, speeches, and good old-fashioned London inflation, Burns Night Suppers can get pricey. Here are some more affordable options:

• Classic Haggis, neeps, and tatties at Rails, Kings Cross (January 23rd to 25th)
• Haggis with a European twist at The Prince Arthur (January 25th)
• Haggis pizza, deep-fried Mars Bars, and Irn Bru ice cream at Ria’s (January 25th)

Raise a Dram

Raise a what? A dram is a small glass of whiskey, and raising a dram means having a drink together. At a traditional Burns Night Supper, many toasts call for a dram of whiskey, but there are also plenty of bars hosting their own Burns Night celebrations this month.

If a three-course meal isn’t for you, why not:

• Taste-test Scottish whiskeys at three different pubs across Notting Hill.
• Indulge in special cocktails before feasting on free snacks and whiskey tasting at The Sun Tavern.
• Sample Scottish beers and dance to a special DJ set at Exale Taproom.

Immerse Yourself in Robert Burns’ Poetry

Established the year after Burns’ death in 1796, Hatchards is London’s oldest bookshop ­— and the perfect place to explore Burns’ work in print. From its iconic green shopfront and gold lettering to creaky floors and dark wooden shelves, this historic space will transport you back in time. Hatchards also holds a Royal Warrant, meaning it supplies books to the royal family.

Not a reader? No problem. Attend an open-mic poetry night and listen to Burns’ poems read aloud — ideally over a dram or two.

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