If you're looking for a "bonny time", or an excuse to don your Tam o' Shanter and pipe some haggis, then look no further: a bagpipe-call to lovers of Scottish culture is coming to town.
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The first-time New Year's Eve event 'Hogmanay Hootenanny' will make its debut at the Max Fry Memorial Hall on December 31 with themed dress, traditional cuisine and dancing.
"Back home in Scotland, New Year's Eve is a massive thing that brings everyone together," said Graeme McColgan, a Scottish musician for 'The Nessies' and one of the Hogmanay's organisers.
"It's the biggest party of the year where there's haggis and whiskey and music and dancing - so we thought, why don't we do that in Launceston?"
The event is being run by The Nessies' and will be the first of its kind for the city, with its organisers hoping to capture the spirit of Scotland with an evening of singalong songs and lively Ceilidh dancing.
The Hogmanay will feature whisky from the world's best whisky distiller The Glenturret, shortbread from Taste Tasmania and the "finest" haggis in Australia from Pacdon Park alongside a festive atmosphere of Celtic-themed dress.
"What we're really trying to achieve though is to get new people to meet each other; that's what a Scottish New Year is about," Mr McColgan said.
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the old year and involves food, drink and customs like "first footing" where the first person to enter a home on New Year's day is seen as a bringer of good fortune.
First footing, tatties, piping in of Haggis and nips of whisky and IrnBru will all feature at Launceston's Hootenanny, but what Mr McColgan said has proved the biggest draw is the Ceilidh.
"It's really just a bush dance and that appeals to everybody," he said.
"I think this will really bring people together, particular an older crowd who are looking to dance and sing along to Paul Kelly and Four Non Blondes to Gay Gordons.
"It'll be lots of dancing, lots of kilts. You won't want to miss it."
The Hogmanay Hootenanny begins at 7:30pm on Sunday, December 31, at the Max Fry Memorial Hall in Trevallyn. Tickets are available at https://events.humanitix.com/the-nessies-tassie-hogmanay-hootenany
Declan Durrant
Declan Durrant has a passion for poetry, visual arts, and theatre, and is The Examiner's arts critic and culture reporter. Got a story? Get in touch: declan.durrant@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Declan Durrant has a passion for poetry, visual arts, and theatre, and is The Examiner's arts critic and culture reporter. Got a story? Get in touch: declan.durrant@austcommunitymedia.com.au
