In the 1920s and ‘30s, nation’s largest independent Chautauqua held regular music, art, science and religious programs in Temescal Canyon in Pacific Palisades.
On Tuesday, January 17, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservation and Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority will present the first program in the 2006 Chautauqua Series, “Scottish Hearts Moved by Nature,” a celebration of the works and inspiration given us by the Scottish poet Robert Burns.
The free program will be held at Temescal Gateway Park in the dining hall at 7:30 p.m. Parking is free.
Robert Burns (1759 – 1796) is celebrated every year in Scotland and around the world on the anniversary of his birth, Robbie Burns Day, January 25.
The conservancy program will feature the poet’s famous songs and poems, including “Auld Lang Syne” and “A Red, Red Rose,” and pay tribute to his love of nature, which inspired the conservationists of Scottish descent who helped preserve America’s natural places, the most notable of whom were John Muir and Enos Mills.
Haggis, the traditional delicacy of Scotland, will be presented in classic Burns’ style following his “Address to a Haggis,” and the bagpipe band, Scottish Pipes & Drums, will perform.
The Conservancy and Authority aim to recapture and foster the original spirit of the Chautauqua movement, which was described by Theodore Roosevelt as “the most American thing in America.” To that end, a monthly series of lectures and events showcasing regional, local and national talent in a variety of art forms will be presented.
