BY BRANDY TEMPLETON
The Historic Sharpe House’s annual Robert Burns Night celebration is expanding to a two-night event in 2026. The life and work of the Scottish poet and lyricist will be celebrated on January 24-25 at the Statesville Event Center.
Keith Rhyne, site manager of the Historic Sharpe House, said this year’s event is dedicated to the late Lisa Kellene Beeson McBroom, a popular librarian, educator, and supporter of the Sharpe House.
Rhyne, who is organizing the event, said he is going to great lengths to provide two evenings filled with delicious, traditional Scottish foods and music.
On Saturday evening, guests will be welcomed by Scottish bagpipe music, followed by live music from Celtic Sessions, a ceremonial Piping In of the Haggis, alcoholic and non-alcoholic libations, and a traditional Scottish dinner.
Hors d’ oeuvres include fruit and cheeses, Mincemeat Tartlets, mini Scotch Eggs, and spinach stuffed mushrooms. Appetizers include Cock-a-Leekie Soup and vegetable broth with rice.
The dinner buffet includes Haggis (traditional and vegetarian), Highland Beef, Roasted Salmon, Howtowdie Baked Chicken, and Howtowdie Stuffed Portobellos, Neeps and Tatties, Red Cabbage and Apple Slaw, and Whiskey-glazed carrots and parsnips.
For dessert, there is Bread Pudding with Whiskey sauce and whipped double cream, Tipsy Laird, Dundee Cake, and Peggy Hastings Sanford’s Famous Shortbread.
Guests are welcome on Sunday for the second part of the celebration. A Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans (Scottish-American church service) will celebrate Scottish heritage by presenting family tartans for blessings.
Rhyne is thrilled for the new addition, hoping that the event is a success.
“There are three goals of the Silas Alexander Sharpe Foundation as set forth by the descendants of Statesville’s first mayor. His granddaughters wanted his memory to be kept alive. They wanted the house to be used for events for and by the community,” he said. “They wanted to use the house for education. It is the goal that we are most proud of by providing a place to work and learn for teens, with an emphasis on helping high-functioning autistic youth.
“It’s through hosting the events in the name of The Sharpe House that we are able to do this, and our various communities’ help is very important in making that happen,” he added.
TICKETS
There are different levels of tickets available for the event. Tickets must be purchased by January 22 at 9 a.m. For more information, visit eventbrite.com.