Event Program

May 2026 Press Release

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Camperdown’s Iconic Robert Burns Celtic Festival is five weeks away and this year’s festival promises to be a weekend full of Music, Concerts, and National and International performers coming to Camperdown. Dr John Menzies OAM, said “There is something for everyone, the festival program has so much to offer local folk and Patrons this year.  The Friday night Festival Dinner at the Theatre Royal enjoy a three course meal including Haggis, Music, with Fiona Ross, The Scottish Fiddle Club Ceilidh Band, Merran and Peter Moir will be performing at the Dinner. The Melbourne Male Welsh Choir is returning and will be in Concert Saturday afternoon after the Choir event in the morning featuring our own Camperdown Celtic Choir and 6 visiting Choirs will come and perform at the Theatre Royal in the morning finishing with Chorister Kym Dillon conducting all seven Choirs, over 100 Chorister’s will sing together as one Choir with a well-known Scottish …

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RBCF2025 The Reformers & Harpistry

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Camperdown’s Robert Burns Celtic Festival is one month away.  The Festival Committee have been busy finalising the RBCFestival Program. Dr Menzies OAM and Festival Chair said “The Hope of Something Better” tells a story of Australian Poet Henry Lawson. This year’s program includes a very special event to be held at St Paul’s Church featuring The Reformers and Harpistry on Saturday the 28th June. The Reformers formed to perform “The Hope of Something Better” live. The show is a multimedia performance that includes spoken word, video, songs and a live band, coming together to present the poems of Lawson in a new, vibrant and contemporary way. Hailing from Warrnambool, Victoria, songwriter, musician and producer, Don Stewart, has produced an album called “In the Hope of Something Better”. The Concert presents the poems of Australian iconic poet, Henry Lawson, as spoken word and songs, supported by Celtic tune compositions by internationally renowned Australian composers including Murray …

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ROBERT BURNS CELTIC FESTIVAL – APRIL 2025 PRESS RELEASE

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The 2025 Early Birds Tickets for the Camperdown Robert Burns Celtic Festival offers great discounts for patrons. The Camperdown Robert Burns Celtic Festival Committee are pleased to announce that the festival Program is nearing completion and promises our Festival for the community will see new elements adding to a number of favourite events returning. The Festival Chairperson Dr John Menzies OAM said “the committee is pleased to announce that Early Bird tickets are now available via the festival website through TryBooking until 30th April and the Early Bird tickets are $90.00 which will allow patrons to go to all the performances at the designated venues over the weekend.” Please note that this price excludes the Friday night Gala Dinner. “Purchasing an Early Bird Ticket offers a great discount of 50% and Patrons who purchase their tickets will enjoy the benefits of this amazing offer,” said Festival Coordinator Catherine O’Flynn. Adult EARLY BIRD Weekend Ticket – *$90.00 will be …

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Burns Birthday Sun 28 Jan 2024, Program Released

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Burns birthday celebrations to be held at the Camperdown Botanic Gardens on Sunday the 28th of January, from 4pm. A free event, with gold coin donation appreciated. BYO picnic and chairs. What a beautiful way to celebrate our local connection to the Bard, in the sheltered canopy of Linden trees, near where the Robert Burns statue used to be seated. From 3.45 Dr John Menzies will be playing the bagpipes inviting guests to make their way to the performance space. Simon Buccheri will MC the event which will begin with a welcome, followed by the piping in of the haggis. This is a grand sight with a kilted parade that features honoured guests and a sword bearer. Norm Macdonald will then perform the ‘Address to the Haggis’, and while the haggis is prepared for tasting (which is optional) Geelong Scottish Dance, led by Christine Shields, will dance to a pipe tune. This is followed by …

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2024 Robert Burns Camperdown Celtic Festival

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From 2024 Camperdown’s Iconic Robert Burns Scottish Festival will be re-branded as the Robert Burns Celtic Festival and held on 21st – 23rd of June, 2024. Enjoyment of Robert Burns artistry, and appreciation of his independent philosophy saw enthusiastic embracement amongst his Celtic neighbours, especially the Irish in the 18th and 19th Centuries.  Given the substantial Scottish and Irish migration to South West Victoria in the 19th century  the Festival committee has chosen to adjust describing its festival to reflect this, hence we now have a new name that captures Burns Beyond Scotland ‘The 2024 Camperdown Robert Burns Celtic Festival’. This change to a Celtic festival expands our ability to include performers from Ireland, Wales and England while retaining connections to regular Scottish performers. The Robert Burns Celtic Festival is a winter literary and music festival, celebrating Scotland’s national Poet and the Celtic culture in poetry, song, music and dance, in and around the historic buildings of Camperdown. Dr John Menzies OAM, Chair …

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29 JUNE – 2 JULY 2023 ROBERT BURNS SCOTTISH FESTIVAL WEEKEND

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29 JUNE – 2 JULY 2023 ROBERT BURNS SCOTTISH FESTIVAL WEEKEND IS PROMISING TO BE A GREAT FESTIVAL WITH A FULL PROGRAM OF EVENTS. Tickets Available Now: https://www.trybooking.com/CICVY $60 Weekend Ticket (excludes Gala Dinner & Lectures – includes entry to 4 concerts – 3 Saturday, and Finale on Sunday, value $100)$35 Saturday Day Ticket (includes entry to 3 concerts – morning, afternoon and evening, value $75)$25 Single Entry$25 Saturday – Lecture Series$80 Friday – Night Gala Dinner$5 Thursday – Movie Night ‘ Falling for Figaro’Suggested Donation $15 – Saturday Ploughman’s Lunch with Unicorn Tapestry, limited spaces.FREE – Festival Choir FREE – Sunday Morning Concert – Gathering @ The BardFREE – Family Show with Eric ReadFREE – Kid’s Activities, Highland Dancing demonstrations & more… read on for full program details, including the school’s program, cooking classes, golf tournament and shortbread baking competition. For further information please contact Catherine O’Flynn RBSF Co-ordinator on 0407 056 126Connect: camperdownburnsfestival.com and facebook.com/robertburnsfestival Festival Chairperson, Dr …

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RBSF 2022 PROGRAM OF EVENTS

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Book Tickets Here – from 10am May 4 2022 ROBERT BURNS SCOTTISH FESTIVAL IS PROMISING TO BE GREAT FESTIVAL WITH A FULL PROGRAM OF EVENTS  The 2022 Robert Burns Scottish Festival is set to return to Camperdown 1-2-3 July this year. The Festivals Chairperson, Dr John Menzies OAM is pleased to announce that festival is going ahead and promises to be a great festival.  After two years of Covid restrictions and limited festival events last year due to the Covid restrictions the committee are working hard to ensure that Patrons and the local community are able to enjoy a full festival in 2022. The committee have invited back the musicians who were to perform at last years cancelled festival. These include The Melbourne Scottish Fiddle Club, Fiona Ross and Shane O’Mara, Claire Patti,  Austral, and Cornerhouse. A line-up of talented local bands and musicians including Pete Daffy and his band, The Twa Bards, Tuniversal Music …

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