Ayrshire ready for Homecoming celebrations

Dec 19 2008

Homecoming Scotland 2009 is an events programme celebrating Scotland's great contributions to the world. In 2009 throughout the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns’ birth, people from the world over will be celebrating his life and work and Scottish contributions to golf and whisky, plus our great minds and innovations and rich culture and heritage.

Come back to Ayrshire

Here in Ayrshire we think we have more reason to celebrate than anyone else. Robert Burns was born in Alloway, Ayrshire and lived much of his life here, writing many a line about his hame toon. As such Ayrshire is gearing up for The Homecoming in a big way and has set up a website comebacktoayrshire.com to promote all events taking place throughout 2009 and beyond. This will include the major homecoming events, some new events and also a range of smaller and community based events. If you are organising an event in Ayrshire in 2009 then the website has the facility for you to upload some information and promote your event for free. You can also sign up for regular newsletters to keep you up to date with activities and even send an e-postcard inviting your friends and family from all over the world to come back to Ayrshire.

Get Involved – Businesses and Community Groups

South Ayrshire Council is keen to work with local businesses and community groups who would like to get involved with the year of the Homecoming. Whether you are interested in holding your own event, playing a part in one of the existing events or you have your own ideas of ways of how you would like to promote the Homecoming you can find out more or receive a ‘Get Involved’ factsheet by contacting Jakki Ross on 01292 616143 or Jakki.ross@south-ayrshire.gov.uk

Event Support Grant

If you are a constituted voluntary organisation, charity or a small business you may be eligible for financial assistance towards the cost of establishing or developing and marketing your event from South Ayrshire’s Homecoming Event Grant scheme. Funding is limited and early application is encouraged. For further details please contact Jacqueline Brown on 01292 616245 or visit www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk

World’s Biggest Burns Supper

Are you holding a Burns Supper in 2009? A new website has been created to capture everyone’s plans for celebrating this landmark Burns night and to establish a new world record for the greatest number of Burns suppers ever held. Every supper registered will be flagged on an interactive world map demonstrating the global reach of Burns today. The website also includes tips on how to host a burns supper, menu ideas from some of Scotland’s leading chefs and much more. Visit www.burnssupper2009.com to upload your event today.

What’s Coming Up?

Homecoming Year 2009 in Ayrshire begins on Friday 23 January. Here’s just a taster of some of the January events

Burns Wha Hae (Fri 23 Jan – Sun 25 Jan)

Celebrate as Rabbie would in his hame toon! A weekend of performance, theatre, live music and family fun. Highlights include concerts from Martin Taylor, The Dubliners and Counselled Out. The Gaiety Theatre will host ‘I’ Robert Burns and there will be an Ayr Town centre party with a fairground in River Street, street entertainers, a whisky tasting and much more. Many of the shops are also getting involved with their own family entertainment and Ayr central will provide a day of live music from names such as The McDonald Brothers, Michelle McManus, Andrew Merry and more. For full details see www.comebacktoayrshire.com

Iconic Burns (Sat 24 Jan)

Iconic Burns is a visual tribute to the Bard featuring work by original Scottish artists, performers and designers. This ticketed event takes the audience on a promenade experience through Alloway revealing iconic sites and sounds and concluding in a spectacular finale. Ticket numbers for this event are limited and you can apply to enter the ballot by calling 0141 559 4349 or via the link on comebacktoayrshire.com

Alloway 1759 (Burns Day, Sun 25 Jan)

Go back 250 years and reminisce about the birth of the bard at Burns Cottage, visit A Star is Born exhibition at Rozelle House and catch Tam’s rant. Costumed street characters and more surprises will provide a sprinkling of nostalgia throughout.

Live Music

Tickets are available now via Ticketmaster for the Martin Taylor concert and The Dubliners concert. Tickets also available from 5 January 09 from The Gaiety Theatre.

Further info:

Comebacktoayrshire.comhomecomingscotland.comJakki Ross – 01292 616143 jakki.ross@south-ayrshire.gov.uk