There were more kilts than pants at the Cochrane Pipe Band's 20th anniversary evening at the Cochrane RancheHouse.

With close to 200 attendees, glasses were raised in honour of Scottish poet Robbie Burns as well as current and past members of the Cochrane Pipe Band. 

Susan Flowers, Bagpiper and Band Manager, shares the evening was everything they hoped for. "We were really happy with it and there was such an energy in the room and you could see people were genuinely having a good time."

It was a long day for band members who ran through their performance earlier that afternoon before playing in front of the packed house. "Some of the songs we knew from before but others only since October, so we practiced a lot so we could remember them and get them as good as we could."

Flowers says feedback from everyone was extremely positive and the party was noted as probably their best one yet. "A lot of people said everything was good; the food, the silent auction, the playing and of course the band Fraid Knot was a hit with their Celtic Rock music. There were quite a few die-hards that stayed right to the end."

It is anticipated the band raised roughly $4000 from the silent auction which will go towards their continual learning. Over the past few months, Flowers says a few people have expressed interest in joining the band in which she encourages. "If anybody is thinking of picking up an instrument I encourage them to do so. You learn, it keeps your brain exercised, you meet people from all over and it's a lot of fun."

The success of the Cochrane Pipe Band wouldn't be anything though, states Flowers, without the support from our local community. "We want to thank the whole Cochrane community for their support over the years by supporting our silent auction, attending the event, and encouraging us to keep going. It's been an awesome ride."

If you missed out on attending the evening at the RancheHouse, you may want to jump at the opportunity to attend the Robbie Burns Dinner and Ceilidh at the Cochrane Legion this Friday (January 25) as people all around the world celebrate Robbie Burns Day. For more information on the Legion's event, go HERE.