Schlafly's Burns' Night

It takes winter a long time to wend its way to spring some years. In Scotland, winter is longer, darker and a little more depressing than most people would like. That's why the January 25 birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns is celebrated every year: It gives people a chance to gather in honor of poetry, camaraderie, drinks and song. Burns often wrote in the dialect of the Highland district, which became a source of pride for a people who hadn't had an easy go of it in the eighteenth century, and by extension, to the rest of Scotland. The "hometown boy made good" story always lifts spirits, especially when aided by the judicious imbibing of the Scotch spirit. Tonight from 5 to 9 p.m., the Schlafly Tap Room (2100 Locust Street; www.schlafly.com) hosts its 27th Burns' Night. At 6 p.m. the pipers will escort Tom Schlafly and his haggis into the dining room in a skirl of bracing bagpipe music, after which he'll address the crowd in an attempt to summon the spirit of the Ploughman Poet. Duddy Breeks takes the stage at 7 p.m., and the Scotch Ale will be tapped for the first time this year. Admission is free, though you'll need money for food and drink. Kilt up if you have one.