1 Bloody Scotland
Stirling, tomorrow-Sunday
Now in its second year, the programme for Scotland's International Crime Writing Festival includes workshops, debates and author sessions with the likes of William McIlvanney, Denise Mina, Val McDermid, Christopher Brookmyre and Quintin Jardine. After last year's programme of mainly Scottish authors, the scope has widened to include heavyweight talent from further afield such as Vera Stanhope author Ann Cleeves, Nordic Noir superstars Jo Nesbo and Arne Dahl, and Jack Reacher creator Lee Child. The Deanston Scottish Crime Book of the Year Award is announced at a gala dinner on Saturday night.
2 Paisley Beer Festival
Paisley Town Hall, until Saturday
The largest beer festival of its type in Scotland celebrates its 26th anniversary. Organised by the Renfrewshire Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, the event features more than 160 different real ales from breweries around Scotland. There's also an extensively stocked Yorkshire-sourced English bar, an abundance of draught and bottled beers from Europe, and a multiplicity of meads, ciders, and perries. Having started yesterday, the Festival runs until Saturday at Paisley Town Hall, the first big event to be held at the A listed building since the completion of extensive refurbishments.
www.paisleybeerfestival.org.uk
3 Lammermuir Festival
East Lothian, from tomorrow
This classical music festival presents a series of concerts from high profile performers, often in small or specially adapted venues across East Lothian - including intimate churches, and historic buildings such as Lennoxlove House near Haddington. The ten-day programme features the music of Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Brahms, and Benjamin Britten in recitals by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Dunedin Consort, Danish String Quartet, and Scotland's National Girls Choir.
4 Parkrun
Various, Saturday
A convenient and sociable way of getting some miles into the legs ahead of next month's Great Scottish Run, Parkrun's weekly timed 5K runs are staged at 11 locations across Scotland every Saturday morning. Free to enter and suitable for all ages and levels of fitness, there are events in Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Falkirk, Edinburgh and Fife - and five in Glasgow and the west. Confession time ... as a regular if occasionally reluctant runner, I first registered for Parkrun in May 2010, and have only managed to clock up five appearances since. Pretty dismal on the commitment front, until you consider that the most recent attempt (last week) was nearly three minutes faster than the first, proving there's plenty to be said for sharing the pain with 300 friendly strangers.
5 Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival
Lomond Shores, Balloch, Saturday and Sunday
This showcase of tasty local and international produce, tempting cookery and food-related fun is open from 10am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday. At the heart of the event is a huge farmers market featuring produce from dozens of Scottish food and drink companies.
There are also wine, ale, and whisky tasting sessions, cookery demonstrations, and a Real Ale and Drinks tent.
Entertainment includes live music, routines from Rapture Dance Troupe, displays from Loch Lomond Birds of Prey Centre, and a life sized milkable model cow called Mabel supplied by the Royal Highland Educational Trust. Part of Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight, entry is free.
www.lochlomondfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk
6 Mary Queen of Scots
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, until November 17
It's been open for a month or two already, but now's as good a time as any to catch this extensive look at the life of one of Scottish history's most iconic figures now the Festival crowds have dispersed.
Featuring one of the comprehensive collections of jewels, textiles, furniture, documents and portraits connected with Mary Stewart ever assembled, the exhibition includes more than 200 objects from major public and private collections in Scotland, England and France - a large number of which have never been publically displayed here before. A replica of Mary's tomb in Westminster Abbey provides a sombre, stately centerpiece.
7 Yorkhill Hospital Motor Show
Glasgow Riverside Museum, Sunday
Organised by Renfrewshire car club Another Cruise Revolution in aid of Yorkhill Children's Foundation, this free event features a display of more than 175 cars. On from 11am to 4pm on Sunday, there's also live music and a charity prize draw. Entry to the Zaha Hadid-designed Riverside Museum, announced in May as winner of the 2013 European Museum of the Year Award, is also free.
http://events.glasgowlife.org.uk/event/1/yorkhill-hospital-motor-show
8 Glasgow International Highland Cattle Show
Pollok Country Park, Glasgow, Sunday
Glasgow's Pollok Park is home to a large fold of award-winning pedigree Highland cattle, so is a logical choice for staging this huge agricultural event for the 10th time.
If the thought of breeders from across Scotland showing their cattle in 12 classes for accolades in Female, Male, Junior, and Supreme Champion categories doesn't grab you, there's also a family friendly events arena to check out. Attractions include The Drakes of Hazard sheepdog and duck display team, falconry and farriery demonstrations, a food and craft market, and rides and entertainment for children. All this, and entry is free of charge.
http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4278
9 Miles for Macmillan
Chatelherault Country Park, Sunday
Another early autumn day out for walkers raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support in 500 acres of parkland near Hamilton. Participants can choose from a three or an eight mile route in the lush, wildlife-friendly environs of the Avon Water. The event gets underway at 11am from Chatelherault's striking former hunting lodge. Children and dogs are welcome, with registration costing £10.
10 Tour of Britain
Sunday, Peebles
Britain's biggest pro cycling race is back in Scotland for the fifth time in six years. The first stage of the Tour's 10th anniversary edition leaves Peebles town centre at about 10.15am, with the 124 mile route winding through Innerleithen, Selkirk, Hawick, Gretna, Annan and Dumfries before the finish at Drumlanrig Castle from around 3.30pm. Bradley Wiggins has been named to lead a six-strong Sky team, with Manx sprinter Mark Cavendish and 2013 Tour de France King of The Mountains Nairo Quintana among 114 riders from 9 teams making up the Tour's largest ever field.
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