Wigtown Book Festival
Wigtown Book Festival
Wigtown, Dumfries and Galloway, From Friday
Scotland's national book town hosts another 10 days of author events and literary activities from tomorrow. Running until a week on Sunday, the festival's line-up includes novelist Margaret Drabble, comedians Robin Ince and Francesca Martinez, creative polymath Jonathan Miller, broadcaster Clare Balding, and 'Flying Scotsman' cyclist Graeme Obree. Elsewhere, there's also a series of events celebrating books and bookshops, a strand on Lowland Scottish culture, a pop-up cinema and visual arts programme, and a children's marquee and selection of events programmed for and by young people. www.wigtownbookfestival.com
Scottish Home Show
AECC, Aberdeen, Friday to Sunday
The return of Aberdeen's award-winning home improvement and lifestyle showcase. With hundreds of exhibitors including big name companies like AGA, Baxters Foods, Costco, and Bo Concept, there's a huge variety of home and garden products on show, along with interior design, decorating, kitchens and bathrooms, and the latest gadgets and technology. As well as Lorraine Kelly, who officially opens the event tomorrow, celebrity guests include Ground Force building expert Tommy Walsh, and TV interiors guru Linda Barker. www.scottishhomeshow.com
World Stone Skimming Championships
Easdale Island, Argyll, Sunday
What the Maracanã Stadium is to football, tiny Easdale Island is to the no-less-venerable sport of stone skimming. Taking place every year at a water-filled former slate quarry, the contest is open to all, and has several team and individual categories. Whoever can make their stone skim the furthest across the surface is judged the winner. Entry fees start at an affordable £1, and if you fancy making a weekend of it, there's an official party in the community centre the night before. www.stoneskimming.com
Pout Edinburgh
Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, Saturday and Sunday
This stylish show for glamorous ladies is back in the capital for a third year, with another two days of fashion, beauty, leisure and shopping. Along with catwalk shows, stalls from an array of lifestyle companies, and product demonstrations galore, there are also hair, makeup and nail stands, champagne and cocktail bars, and a chic cafe serving food and drinks. Open both days from 11am, tickets are £15-£20. There's also the chance to keep the fun going at a Burlesque-themed after party following directly on from Saturday's session. www.poutevent.com
Resolution Run
Strathclyde Country Park, North Lanarkshire, Sunday
This charity fitness challenge in aid of the Stroke Association is open to everyone from beginners and seasoned racers, with the choice of running or walking either 5K or 10K around Strathclyde Loch. As ever with this type of event, if you haven't already signed up, you can no longer do so online - but space permitting, you should still be able to enter on the day - just print off and fill out the registration form on the website, and bring along with £15. www.stroke.org.uk/resolution
Explorathon 14
Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, Friday
Scotland's three biggest cities come together for a day of interactive shows, talks, and family activities marking European Researchers Night. Taking place in more than 300 cities across the continent, the event gives members of the public the opportunity to meet scientific researchers and find out more about what they do. Most events are free, and cover a range of topics including space, robotics, biology, evolution, forensics, and archaeology. There's also free admission to Edinburgh's Our Dynamic Earth in the afternoon, and to Glasgow Science Centre and Aberdeen's Satrosphere in the evening. www.explorathon.co.uk
Ryder Cup Official Fan Zones
Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Perth, Friday to Sunday
The next best thing for fans who missed out on tickets for golf's biggest showpiece could be a trip to one of the tournament's official fan zones, which can be found over the weekend at Glasgow's Merchant Square, Edinburgh's St Andrew Square, and in the plaza outside Perth Concert Hall. As well as live big screen coverage of all the action from Gleneagles, visitors will be able to try out a range of golf themed activities, including simulators, practice putting greens and training nets. www.rydercup.com
Scottish Quilt Championships
Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Friday to Sunday
Get inspired with three days of crafty fun featuring hundreds of examples of quilting and patchwork from all over the world. As well as an open competition for quilters of all skill levels, there's also workshops with experts, and the opportunity to shop for fabrics, supplies and accessories. Open from 10am each day, tickets on the door are £3-£7 - details at www.grosvenorshows.co.uk. While we're in the neighbourhood, bargain hunters might also be interested in the huge Edinburgh Antiques Fair, held concurrently at Ingliston on Saturday and Sunday.
Dinosaur Zoo
His Majesty's Theatre Aberdeen, Friday, Saturday and Monday
An ingenious mix of life-like puppetry, infectious stage craft and plenty of audience participation, this interactive live spectacular lets junior paleo-fanatics get up close and personal with a selection of the Southern Hemisphere's most impressive and fearsome dinosaurs. Designed by Australian physical theatre company Erth, each performance also includes a 15 minute 'meat and greet' session with some of the prehistoric stars of the show. Suitable for children aged three and over, tickets are £14.50, or £17 for special 'danger zone' seating. http://dinosaurzoolive.com
Glasgow Wildlife Garden Festival
Glasgow, until Tuesday
There's still time to catch the last weekend of this city-wide urban gardening project, set up to encourage people living in Glasgow to reconnect with nature. Still to come over the next few days is a foraging event at Malls Mire near Toryglen, a day of arts and craft activities at Hogganfield Loch Nature Reserve, and two days of workshops, talks, bug hunts and storytelling sessions at Woodlands Community Garden in the West End. The Festival concludes on Tuesday with a teddy bear's picnic for tots at Kelvingrove Museum. www.glasgowgardenfestival.org
Don't Miss
Autumn Speyside Whisky Festival
Dufftown, Moray, from today
Six days of tours, trips and tastings celebrating Scotland's national drink. The programme includes whisky-themed train rides, exclusive tours of distilleries not usually open to the public, and opportunities to go behind-the-scenes at a working cooperage to see whisky barrels being made. www.whisky.dufftown.co.uk
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