Man Returns to 18 Alameda Bars New Year's Eve to Play Auld Lang Syne on Bagpipes

The sounds of Auld Lang Syne on the bagpipes will again be heard in 18 Alameda bars on New Year’s eve, thanks to the ambitious fundraising efforts of East Bay resident Andy MacKay.

This year the donations collected will be in memory of MacKay’s father, Bertie MacKay, who died in the United Kingdom in February after losing his battle with cancer, and to support all who are affected by the disease.

MacKay is asking the community to come out the bars and cheer him on.

“New Year is the most exciting night of the year back home in Scotland and we’d like to share it with fellow Alamedans and Bay Area folk,” MacKay said. “We hope to bring New Year cheer to Alameda, have some fun, and raise some well-needed funds for a great cause.”

MacKay says he will be accompanied by The Collectors— aka Jake and Elwood Blues— on the way around the city, to ‘strongarm’ donations as necessary!

“We’ll be starting in McGee’s at 6 p.m. and ending in the 1400 on Webster St. around 7 p.m.,” MacKay said. “Blink and you’ll miss us, so get out to a bar early to get in on the action!”

Click here to donate to MacKay’s drive.

Here’s the list of bars in order of appearance from 6 p.m. Each performance will be about five minutes per bar:

• McGee’s
• Angela’s
• Speisekammer
• Lemon Tree
• Churchward
• American Oak
• Lost Weekend
• Hobnob
• Lucky 13
• Fire Den
• Club House
• Z’s
• Swell
• Forbidden Island
• Wally’s
• Fireside
• Shamrock
• 1400

Photo, video courtesy Andy MacKay