2011 Open House Set for June 26     Our Annual Open House this year will take place on Sunday, June 26 from 1:00 - 4:30 PM. at the Cottage located at 44 Stevenson Lane in Saranac Lake. The event will kick-off the first annual Adirondack Arts and Heritage Festival which runs from June 26 through July 4. The Open House traditionally signals the beginning of our summer tour season and will open and close with live bagpipe music by our well-known bagpiper, Cameron Anderson and will include live Celtic music by the Celtic duo "Wyndfall", free tours of the museum by our curator, Mike Delahant, a formal presentation of the Haggis by a member of the St. Andrews Society accompanied by Cameron and refreshments. We will then be offering museum tours during the rest of the Festival week (except for Monday, the 27th). It should be fun. Stevenson Society Participates in the Annual Saranac Lake Winter Carnival      On February 12th the Stevenson Society participated for the first time in the famous Annual Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Parade and came away with the First Place Trophy for Civic/Volunteer groups.  A good time was had by all and we're looking forward to next year.  We also constructed a window display in downtown Saranac Lake which drew rave reviews.  The theme of this year's Carnival was "Medieval Times" and both our float and window display were loosely based on Robert Louis Stevenson's novel The Black Arrow, for which he wrote the prologue during his stay in Saranac Lake the winter of 1887 - 1888.  Below are some pictures of the parade float and window display.

Rain didn’t dampen the spirit of the event and everyone who attended had an enjoyable time.  After a few words from the President of the Society, the event opened with a moving introductory address by Rabbi Rita Leonard, who ended by introducing our special guests, Beth and Bryce Melton, the granddaughter and great-grandson of Dr. Hugh Kinghorn, one of the original founders of the Stevenson Society.  The Meltons not only honored us with their presence (traveling all the way from Virginia), but also fittingly provided attendees with terrific bagpiping by Bryce and drumming by Beth.  The “Susquehanna Ensemble” from Pennsylvania then began a set of excellent Celtic music, while our resident curator, Mike Delahant, began a full afternoon of free tours of the museum.  Delicious refreshments were provided by the Reviewer’s Club, which has been associated with the Stevenson Society since the early 1900’s and Karla Delahant (along with Les Hershhorn’s excellent punch). 

Halfway through the event it was time for the formal presentation of the Haggis.  Led by bagpiper Bryce, the Haggis was ceremoniously carried to the back porch of the Cottage by master presenter Peter Fish, accompanied by members of the St. Andrews Society and Beth.  Peter thoroughly entertained the crowd with a haughty description of the mighty Haggis and words of Robert Burns before carving it open and serving it to delighted guests.  After more great Celtic music by the “Susquehanna Ensemble”, Bryce ended the affair with a beautiful bagpipe rendition of “Auld Lang Syne”.  Below are some photos from the Open House.