The Big Burn 2014

The third Big Burns Supper Festival really found its stride this year - there was a palpable feeling that the toon had taken BBS to its heart and was joining in at every turn.....big respect to the festival team and to Doonhamers everywhere!

The Stove joined in too - it has now become a bit of a tradition that we contribute something of the outdoor ambience to BBS (not quite sure how we ended up with that job at a festival in January!). This year we staged the Big Burn - but before we get to that there were a coupl of other wee Stovish things to enjoy - we made a lantern for the procession:

The Stove's 'bunch of balloons' lantern - made by Danae Marshall, Iain Gisbey, Hayley Stephens and Sara Redden. Seen here at the front of the Homecoming Parade - carried by Hayley and Sara and ably assisted by Sara's daughter Daisy.

More pics of the amazing parade and BBS generally at Colin Tennant's Flickrstream

Katie Anderson made her own installation 'Close Enough' for the close next to The Stove:

'Close Enough' by Katie Anderson - domestic wallpaper designs stretched and interpreted in UV paint with an accompanying soundtrack of environmental sound and spoken word

The idea of The Big Burn was dead simple - to tell folk that we were making a bonfire in the middle of the High Street and to see what happened. We hoped to make a place that people would hang out a bit and get a bit of a warm....to bring a little of a familiar bonfire vibe into an unfamiliar setting and see what happened.

Will proved his mettle as firestarter general

No barriers....no problem

The first addition volunteered for The Big Burn came from Phoebe Marshall who brought along hazel twigs, marshmallows and chocolate biscuits. Toasted marshmallow sandwiched between two chocolate biscuits makes a smoor......

Regular marshmallow action on the flaming logs that stood around the fire

Extreme marshmallow toasting

The next unexpected addition was the arrival of the Cairn Chorus who were led to the Big Burn by Wendy Stewart. They sang beautifully for 20 minutes and included the most emotionally stirring version of Auld Lang Syne that I have ever heard. The fact that we were sitting around a fire in Dumfries on Robert Burns' birthday was lost on no-one.

The Cairn Chorus at The Big Burn

The next intervention around the fire was the arrival of a troupe of mysteriously masked dancers:

Dancers in black and white at top left

There were no clues at all to the identity of the dancers - and if anyone knew, then they were giving nothing away....they melted back into the night just as they had arrived.

One of our Turkish neighbours played a bit of drum and danced briefly....tatties were baked and consumed and tea was had. Then the D+G Fire service arrived and offered to help us put the fire out.....who can refuse a handsome fireman with a hose....

D+G Fire Rescue performing at The Big Burn

And that was that really - except that the 20 or so folk who were still around the fire then all help clear away the Big Burn. A human chain was formed and 1.5 tonnes of bricks were moved to behind The Stove....in under one hour from the fire engine arriving there was no sign at all that anything had happened in the square that night - apart from some very happy memories.

Thanks to everyone who made The Big Burn such a success - great craic and lovley to spend time with old friends and new. We have a feeling this just might become a Big Burns Supper regular feature....maybe we might be allowed an even bigger fire next year???

The Big Burn - Call Out

Welcome!

An invitation to from the Stove to bide a while round our fire 25th January 7 - 9pm..............

This year the Burns Big Supper Festival has a special series of events entitled The Occupy Dumfries Project. 
It is a celebration of Dumfries and coincides with the short-listing of the town for a coveted Creative Place award 2014. 

The Stove’s contribution to Occupy is to put on The Stove’s Big Burn - a bonfire right in the heart of Dumfries on the High Street outside the Stove.  Please stop by, have a natter, toast a marshmallow or juggle a baked tattie. 

There will be some informal “happenings” during the evening but the focus of the fire is the people who share its warmth with us, so come along, inbetween events, or just because, a welcome awaits!

Dumfries in line for Creative Places award

It's an exciting day down at the Stove, and as if the build up to tonight's big gig as part of DMC wasn't enough, we are pleased to welcome in the morning with the following press release. Go team Dumfries!

United artists approach makes shortlist for National Award

Several organisations were jumping for joy at the news in Dumfries today – that the town has been shortlisted for the coveted Creative Place Award for 2014.

A joint bid was led by Big Burns Supper, The Stove and Electric Theatre Workshop to attract investment of £150,000 to the town to support the development of a Creative Place through a year-long celebration of Creativity to help support Dumfries town centre.

Uniquely – the bid has been developed by the arts organisations independently, which mirrors the trend that has been happening in Dumfries over the last three years.   Artists and their Organisations are leading the way in the regeneration of place, community and identity.

Seize the Potential. Photograph by Oriel Marshall at this years Nithraid.

Graham Main, Artistic Director of Electric Theatre Workshop & Big Burns Supper said,

“We are thrilled with the news of the shortlist - which celebrates the ground breaking transformation, and creative leadership model in our community. Organisation’s like Big Burns Supper, The Stove and Electric Theatre Workshop - and our many associate organisations like Theatre Royal, Peter Pan Moatbrae, Greyfriars Concerts, DG Arts Festival and The Crichton Campus are leading on a fresh approach to arts delivery, and redefining the rules to creative participation through a new confidence that is spreading throughout our region.”

Matt Baker, Founding member, the Stove Artists Collective, said

“Culture and Heritage have been identified by many as the key to revitalising Dumfries – a future built on assets like the river, the history and the creative talents of our citizens. Much work has been done already by groups like Stove, Big Burns Supper and Electric Theatre Workshop – we have all focussed on making opportunities for other local folk to get involved and through this building a network of amazing people with a ‘can do’ attitude.

Being shortlisted for this award is amazing national recognition of both the work done to date and potential for the future. Dumfries is ready to claim itself Queen of the South again for the new century – we look forward to working with everyone to make that happen.”

Opening scenes from BBS' We Can Be Heroes performance earlier this year

It comes on the same day that Big Burns Supper announced plans for theirHomecoming Carnival which will set the town alight on the 25th January 2014 which will see over 2000 people taking part in the organisations largest ever Participation project to date.

A massive community celebration which help pay tribute to the centenary ofWorld War One, with second year students from several high schools helping to design and create the first ever Burns Night Carnival in the town’s history.

As the news came in, Final preparations were being made to the Dumfries Music Conference weekend which is taking place at The Stove in the centre of Dumfries.  The second Dumfries Music Conference (#DMC2013) will pick up where Greg Wilson signed off last year, with a programme centred on sharing knowledge, ideas and thoughts about music.

Their aim is to be progressive, which is why this year’s sessions have a different complexion than last year’s. Where 2012’s focus was electronic music and technology, 2013 is about shining a light on the music industry’s storytellers.

As part of their continued development, Electric Theatre Workshop have announced continued expansion into communities throughout Dumfries, supporting communities and schools to get access to creativity.

The Community Interest Company based in the centre of Dumfries has opened Youth Theatre projects at Lochside Primary, Lincluden Primary, St Teresa’s Primary and St Ninian’s Primary Schools throughout the next year.  It comes as part of the organisations pledge to lift barriers to creativity in Dumfries thanks to support from the Holywood Trust.

  Dumfries will find out at an Awards Ceremony in January 2014 whether or town the town will lift the prize.