In the 1920’s and 30’s, Temescal Canyon in the Pacific Palisades was home to the largest independent Chautauqua in the nation, which featured music, art, science, and religious programs under the canopy of oaks and beside the stream.  On January 17^th, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservation (SMMC) and Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority (MRCA) will present the first program of the 2006 Chautauqua Series, “Scottish Hearts Moved by Nature,” a celebration of the works and inspiration given us by the Scottish poet Robert Burns. 

 

This 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.  We will be celebrating not only his famous songs and poems, including “Auld Lang Syne” and “A Red, Red Rose,” but the inspiration he passed down to the great conservationists of Scottish descent who helped preserve America’s natural places. 

 

You are invited to join us as we commemorate the Scottish heritage, human compassion, and love for nature shared by Robert Burns, John Muir, and Enos Mills.  Haggis, the traditional delicacy of Scotland, will be presented in classic Burns’s style following the great bard’s “Address To A Haggis.”  The bagpipe band Scottish Pipes & Drums will lend their musical artistry and over 25 years of experience performing in Southern California to our celebration. It is the goal of the SMMC and MRCA to recapture and foster the original spirit of the Chautauqua movement, described by Theodore Roosevelt as “the most American thing in America.”  Honoring the tradition of the original Chautauqua philosophy, we will present a lively monthly series of lectures and events showcasing regional, local, and national talent in a variety of art forms.