Photos: Edmontonians celebrate Robbie Burns

The sound of bagpipes filled the University of Alberta’s Rutherford House Sunday afternoon. Hundreds of Edmontonians gathered to celebrate the life and works of Scotland’s most famous poet Robert Burns.

The event included Scottish highland dancers, and of course food including the famous haggis.

“The Scottish culture has deep roots in Edmonton,” organizer Ron de Jong said. “So many different cultures make up our country and by learning a little bit more, we understand about a component of the tapestry of the Canadian experience.”

Each year, people of Scottish descent pay tribute to the bard on or near his birthday, which was January 25, 1759. One of Burns’ best known works is Auld Lang Syne.