Celebrating Hogmanay and Burns Night with local music at An Lanntair

The demand for tickets has increased each year, making it the must have ticket of the festive season.

Its success perhaps lies in the showcasing of an ever increasing line up of local talent from across every musical genre, with the theme of gathering together to celebrate Hogmanay at its heart.

Traditionally New Year is a time for people to return to the islands and be with family, and this event provides the ideal opportunity to bring in the New Year together as a community.

On this occasion Musical Director Willie Campbell will be joined on stage by members of his own band - The Open Day Rotation - a brass and string section, and an eclectic cast of talented Island singers.

These include Fiona Mackenzie, Iain Spanish Mackay, and Eleanor Nicolson, with others soon to be announced.

Alex Macdonald, An Lanntair’s Head of Performing Arts and the creator of Biladhna Mhath Ur!, said: “The key to the final line up starts with the question who is coming home for Hogmanay? And the idea of local musicians gathering together to create a show for the community in this way is the ideal way to celebrate this time of year.

“We are once again indebted to EventScotland for their continuing support of the event through the Scotland’s Winter Festivals programme, and have been delighted with the response from the musicians who take part and the community as a whole.”

The special Hogmanay show will be followed by another special event to celebrate Burns Night on January 27th.

‘Burns and A’ that’ is part of the national celebrations for the birthday of our national bard, Robert Burns, and An Lanntair has created a very special evening’s entertainment.

There will be a programme of music which puts a modern slant on the Burns tradition, and the audience can also enjoy a cocktail or two, and sample the special alternative Burns buffet.

Lewis Singer/songwriter Colin MacLeod will be joined by traditional Gaelic singer Kathleen Macinnes in a programme highlighting the Burns influence on modern song writing, links to the Gaelic tradition and Island poetry.

Also included in the evening will be a specially created short film poem by the Shetland artist Roseanne Watt, showcasing the Western and Northern Islands.

Alan MacKenzie, VisitScotland Islands Manager, said: “It comes as no surprise that tickets for An Lanntair’s Hogmanay event are so popular – it has proved to be a successful event that brings people together in a fantastic location to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another.

“The Burns Night event also ties in perfectly with 2017 - Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.

“What better way to mark this than with a dedicated event celebrating the birthday and history of our national bard?

“Events like this don’t just provide entertainment; they bring benefits to Scotland year-round, supporting communities throughout the year in every corner of the country.”

These events are supported by EventScotland as part of Scotland’s Winter Festivals.

For more details visit: website