The third Big Burns Supper (BBS) Festival really found its stride this year – there was a palpable feeling that the toon had taken BBS to its heart and was joining in at every turn. Big respect to the festival team and to Doonhamers everywhere!
The Stove joined in too – it has now become a bit of a tradition for us to contribute something of the outdoor ambience to BBS (not quite sure how we ended up with that job at a festival in January!). This year, we staged the Big Burn – but before we get to that, there were a couple of other wee Stovish things to enjoy. We made a lantern for the procession:
More pics of the amazing parade and BBS generally at Colin Tennant’s Flickrstream.
Katie Anderson made her own installation ‘Close Enough’ for the close next to The Stove:
The idea of The Big Burn was dead simple – to tell folk that we were making a bonfire in the middle of the High Street and see what happened. We hoped to create a place where people could hang out for a while and warm themselves, bringing a touch of the familiar bonfire vibe into an unfamiliar setting and seeing what unfolded.
The first addition volunteered for The Big Burn came from Phoebe Marshall, who brought along hazel twigs, marshmallows, and chocolate biscuits. Toasted marshmallows, sandwiched between two chocolate biscuits, make a s’more…
The next unexpected addition was the arrival of the Cairn Chorus, who were led to the Big Burn by Wendy Stewart. They sang beautifully for 20 minutes, including the most emotionally stirring version of Auld Lang Syne I have ever heard. The fact that we were sitting around a fire in Dumfries on Robert Burns’ birthday was lost on no one.
The next intervention around the fire was the arrival of a troupe of mysteriously masked dancers:
There were no clues at all as to the identity of the dancers – and if anyone knew, they weren’t giving anything away. They melted back into the night just as they had arrived.
One of our Turkish neighbours played a bit of drum and danced briefly. Tatties were baked and eaten, and tea was enjoyed. Then the Dumfries & Galloway Fire Service arrived and offered to help us put the fire out – who could refuse a handsome fireman with a hose?
And that was that, really – except that the 20 or so folk who were still around the fire all helped clear away the Big Burn. A human chain was formed, and 1.5 tonnes of bricks were moved behind The Stove. In under one hour from the fire engine arriving, there was no sign at all that anything had happened in the square that night – apart from some very happy memories.
Thanks to everyone who made The Big Burn such a success – great craic and a lovely time spent with old friends and new. We have a feeling this just might become a Big Burns Supper regular feature. Maybe we’ll even be allowed an even bigger fire next year!
