1 Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show
SECC, Glasgow, Sat-Sun
Described as Scotland's largest exhibition for self builders and home renovators, a visit to this two-day consumer show could provide the ideal spark for those with grand designs in mind this spring. With more than 130 specialist companies, attractions also include expert seminars and workshops, one-on-one consulting with architects and property developers, and a chance to discover the latest decorating trends at a drop-in colour clinic sponsored by Dulux. Open from 10am both days, tickets are £8-£12. www.scotland.homebuildingshow.co.uk
2 Festival of Museums
Across Scotland, Fri-Sun
A great way to re-discover the wealth of fascinating stuff in museums around Scotland across a single weekend. Among exhibitions, talks, workshops, and live performances, highlights include One Last Fright - a weekend themed around the dark side of Edinburgh - and an event at Dundee's RRS Discovery inspired by Captain Scott's 1901 Antarctic expedition. Elsewhere, Aberdeen Maritime Museum raises the skull and crossbones over an after-hours night of pirate-fuelled fun, while Saturday's hop-on, hop-off bus tour links five of Glasgow's biggest museums. www.festivalofmuseums.co.uk
3 Morrison's Great Women's 10K Run
Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, Sun
A new headline sponsor, but otherwise business as usual for the UK's biggest women-only running event, returning to Glasgow's Southside on Sunday. Generally pretty popular - around 10,000 took part last year - the event starts in Nithsdale Road, with the course weaving through Pollokshields and around Pollok Park before the finish on Mosspark Boulevard. Online registration has closed, but last minute entrants can sign up at the event information point in St Enoch Centre until Saturday for £26. www.greatrun.org/great-womens-10k
4 Stately Homes Attic Sale
Dalkeith Palace, Sun
Essentially a really posh charity jumble sale featuring a trove of one-of-a-kind items donated from the attics and basements of Scotland's stately homes and castles. Alongside some 50 vendors selling antiques, furniture, vintage clothing, collectables, toys, pictures and old sporting gear, there will be a range of food and drink stalls, a silent auction and a cash prize raffle. Running from 10.30am to 3.30pm, entry is £5 on the gate (children free). Proceeds from the event will go to poverty charity Elizabeth Finn Care. www.statelyatticsale.co.uk
5 Imaginate Festival
Across Edinburgh, until Sun
Scotland's annual performing arts festival for children and young people started on Monday, but there's still time to catch performances in venues across Edinburgh. Among 14 quirky but accessible productions this year is Hup, an enchanting classical music experience for babies and toddlers. There's also Bounce, an interactive dance show that unfolds on a custom-built inflatable, while The Edibles presents a tempting tale of comedy mayhem set in a baker's shop. Tickets start at £8, and there's also a free Family Fringe event on Saturday and Sunday in the Traverse Theatre Cafe. www.imaginate.org.uk
6 Gordon Castle Highland Games
Gordon Castle, Moray, Sun
This huge family day out near Fochabers combines traditional highland games with a country fair. As well as dancing, piping and heavy events in front of the castle, attractions include falconry, hunting dog displays and an explosive pyrotechnic show from The Joseph Peace Fire Stunt Spectacular. There's also a special focus on food and drink, with more than 100 stalls selling Scottish produce, beers and spirits, along with cookery demonstrations from the likes of pro Masterchef contestant Craig Smith. Open from 10.30am, tickets £4-£9. www.gordoncastlehighlandgames.co.uk
7 Wild Lochaber Festival
Around Fort William, from Sat
Two weeks of outdoor events showcasing the wildlife and natural environment of the North West Highlands, starting on Saturday with Go Wild On The Canal, a day of family activities at Banavie Basin in Fort William. Along with boat trips, a raft race, and canoeing and kayaking workshops, there's also traditional music, hands-on science experiments, and face and painting to keep land-lubbers entertained. Further ahead, free and ticketed events include animal-spotting cruises, snorkel safaris, and guided walks - plus daily Tai Chi Qi Gong sessions on a stunning beach on the Isle of Eigg. www.outdoorcapital.co.uk
8 Summerhall's Beer FestivALE!
Summerhall, Edinburgh, Fri-Sat
A great excuse to get out and enjoy a drink and a bite in the fresh air, Summerhall's latest beer and spirits festival arrives in time for the first dry weekend forecast in ages. Promised among a line-up of Scottish producers are Williams Brothers, Top Out and Thistly Cross, while there are also multiple indoor and outdoor bars, stalls, music and tours of the venue's in-house craft brewery and gin distillery. Open for afternoon and evening sessions (£8), tickets include four beer tokens. www.summerhall.co.uk
9 Tweedlove Bike Festival
Scottish Borders, from Sat
The UK's biggest bike festival, featuring an abundance of rides, races, social events and skills workshops over the next couple of weeks - ease into things with Sunday's Skinny Tweed (£20), a relaxed and scenic 71km spin for cyclists of all levels. For the diary, there's also the Peebles Family Ride (Tuesday) and MTB orienteering event The Chase (Wednesday), while next weekend's highlights include a Festival Family Day, and the Glentress Seven event. Over the final weekend is the Tweedlove World Enduro - an elite event showcasing some of the world's best mountain bike riders. www.tweedlove.com
10 Big Big Sing Day
Glasgow and Edinburgh, Sat-Sun
Based on the idea that learning songs and singing as part of a mass choir can make you feel happier, healthier and more sociable, this UK-wide project was established for the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme. Returning to Glasgow Royal Concert Halls on Saturday and the Usher Hall in Edinburgh on Sunday, no particular experience or musical expertise is required - just turn up and join in. Starting at noon on both days, tickets are £5 (concessions free). Look out for sessions in Dundee and Aberdeen at the end of May. www.bigbigsing.org
Don't Miss
Southside Souk
The Old Barn, Glasgow, Saturday
A colourful afternoon of stalls, food, performances, world music and crafts with the return of this family multicultural festival. Running from noon to 5pm at The Old Barn in Pollok Park, entry is by donation (£3), with profits going to city arts charity Project Ability. www.theoldbarn-glasgow.co.uk
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article