2025 St. Andrew's Charity Ball

The St. Andrew's Charity Ball is an annual celebration of Scottish-Canadian culture. Attendees have been enjoying this elegant evening of music, dance and cuisine for well over 100 years. The 2025 Ball will take place on Saturday, November 22. This year's promo video and photos from past years appear below.

Scholarship Program for 2025
In proud partnership with the 48th Highlanders of Canada, we are excited to announce the creation of a new scholarship program that celebrates and supports the vibrant traditions of Highland Dance and Pipes & Drums. Recognizing the ongoing need to uplift both of these cherished art forms, we believe the Annual Charity Ball offers a wonderful opportunity to launch this fund—helping to inspire and support students, pipers, and drummers at every stage of their journey, from beginners to those pursuing post-secondary education.

At the St. Andrew’s Society, we are deeply committed to honoring and promoting all facets of Scottish culture. This initiative reflects our dedication to long-term engagement with the Highland Dance and the Pipes & Drums communities and ensures we continue to nurture the next generation of cultural ambassadors with pride and purpose.

The Venue

The Charity Ball will once again be held at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto. The first Ball at the Royal York took place in November of 1929. The luxurious new hotel had just opened in June of that year.

The Schedule

The evening will begin at 6:00pm with a cocktail reception. This will be followed by dinner (haggis included) from 7:00-9:00pm. Guests will retire to the lounge area for drinks and socializing at the dinner's conclusion. Dancing will begin at 10:00pm after the room is changed over. Festivities will continue until 1:30am.

Entertainment

The St. Andrew's Society hosts the Charity Ball in partnership with 48th Highlanders of Canada. As per tradition, the regiment’s Pipes & Drums will provide all the music for the evening’s dancing.

Attendees can also look forward to seeing Highlandin6 Dancers over the course of the evening. These dynamic young performers always steal the show.

Dress Code

The Charity Ball is one of the few remaining black-tie events in the city. It is an evening of high fashion with elegant gowns and clan tartans on attendees of all ages. Some opt for tuxedos in lieu of traditional Highland Dress.

Those looking to get outfitted for the Ball should contact William Glen & Son. They have a wide variety of tartans, sashes, kilts and other accessories. For over 20 years, they have offered Ball goers a Full Highland Rental for $99 (regular $175). This offer excludes dress shirt and hose.

Ticket Options

There are three types of tickets available for the Charity Ball. All tickets must be purchased one week before the event in order to help with planning. The sales window for dinner packages will close at 11:59pm ET on Saturday, November 15. Cèilidh tickets will remain on sale until the night of the event.

• A Dinner & Dancing Ticket may be purchased for $250. This price will allow one person access to the entire evening.
• A Table Package may be purchased for groups of 8, 9 or 10. The package comes with a table beverage credit for wine or cocktails ($10 credit per ticket).
• An $80 Cèilidh Ticket is available for those who wish to come after dinner. This ticket is ideal for those who only wish to go to the dancing portion. Ceilidh ticket holders may begin arriving after 9 pm.

Guests who are not part of a full table may request who they would like to sit with at the time of purchase. All seating will be arranged by the Ball Committee. Best efforts will be made to honour all seating requests.

Please note that ticket prices do not include Eventbrite fees. A tax receipt for a portion of the ticket proceeds will be issued after the event for purchasers requesting one. Those looking to purchase tables via cheque or e-tranfer are encouraged to send an email to [email protected] for further instructions.

Dinner Menu

The 2025 dinner menu will be as follows:

• Salads - Spinach and Frisée Compressed Watermelon, Cucumber, Tomato, Goat Cheese, Aged Sherry Vinaigrette
• Haggis Course - neeps & tatties
• Mains - Spinach, Herb and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Supreme. Herb and Olive Crushed Potato, Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash Purée, Haricot Vert, Heirloom Carrot, Chicken Jus.
• Veg - Wild Mushroom Ravioli Gorgonzola Cream Sauce, Roasted Truffled Mushrooms, Herb Pangrattato, Toasted Walnuts, Parmesan Cheese
• Dessert - Flourless 54% Dark Chocolate Glass Flourless Sponge, Chocolate Mousse, Strawberry Compote, Mascarpone Chantilly

A vegetarian meal can be selected as an option during the purchase process. Dietary restrictions can also be noted at that time.

Accommodations

Ball attendees must make their own arrangements for overnight stays. A special room rate of $369.00 per night is available will be available at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Follow this link to check availability.

Dance Practices

A list of all the dances for the night will be provided in the Ball program. Everyone who purchases a ticket for the Charity Ball will be eligible to attend dance practices leading into the event. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, this is a great opportunity to get ready for the Ball. Practices will be held at the following times and locations:

• Tuesday, October 28th (8-10pm) - Moss Park Armoury (130 Queen St. East)
• Tuesday, November 4th (8-10pm) - Moss Park Armoury
• Saturday, November 8th (2-4pm) - Glenview Presbyterian Church (1 Glenview Ave.)
• Tuesday, November 18th (8-10pm) - Moss Park Armoury

Dance Order

David Booz from the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) will lead the practices. If you can't make the practices, you can click on the links below to learn each dance at home. Some dances are repeated twice.

1. The Grand March

Contact Us

Any Ball related questions can be directed to [email protected] . We look forward to celebrating with you on November 22nd!

Host or Publisher St. Andrew's Society