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• Robert Burns
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Scotland's favorite son, Robert Burns, appears to be one of the few cult figures who may have actually lived up to his reputation. A drinker, a ladies' man, a Freemason, and an occasional farmer, he managed, in what must have been some mighty precious free time, to pen such classics as "Auld Lang Syne," "A Red, Red Rose," "A Man's a Man for A' That," and "Tam o' Shanter" before his death at the age of 37. Every year on or around Burns' birthday (he was born on January 25, 1759), fans the world over celebrate his life with whiskey, traditional foods, and poetry. Burns Night marks the 250th anniversary of the poet's birth, and San Francisco's expatriate Scots and Scot-o-philes alike are duty bound to pay their respects by saluting a boiled, stuffed sheep's stomach as the "great chieftain o' the puddin' race" — one of the lines from Burns' "Address to a Haggis." Now is an excellent time to toast Burns, who championed republicanism, anticlericalism, and sexual liberty. Bring your brogue, and your bagpipes if you've got 'em.
Sat., Jan. 24, 8 p.m., 2009