Edinburgh Marathon Festival
Edinburgh, Saturday and Sunday
If you haven't already signed up, the bad news is that every race is now full up. However, if you want to cheer on the weekend's 30,000-odd participants - including some of the world's fastest marathon runners - the event's main hub is by Our Dynamic Earth in Holyrood Park. Saturday's 5K, 10K, and junior races take place within the park itself, while Sunday's half and full marathon courses swing out of the city as far as Levenhall in Musselburgh, and Gosford House in East Lothian respectively.
www.edinburgh-marathon.com
Ideal Home Show Scotland
SECC, Glasgow, tomorrow to Sunday
Expected to attract more than 40,000 visitors over the weekend, this massive consumer show features anything and everything to do with homes, interiors, DIY, gardening, technology, furnishings and food and drink. Along with a huge amount of floor space devoted to hundreds of exhibitors, demonstrations and product displays, there's also variety of experts on hand with help and advice. This year's celebrity guests include Carole Smillie, George Clarke, and Gregg Wallace. Open each day from 10am-6pm, tickets are £12-£15, with under 16s free.
www.idealhomeshowscotland.co.uk
Knockengorroch World Ceilidh
Near Carsphairn, Dumfries and Galloway, today until Sunday
This family-friendly Celtic and world music festival takes place four miles away from the nearest main road in a rugged valley near Galloway Forest Park. As well as a host of Scottish performers, a genre-twisting bill also encompasses jazz, indie rock, and electronic music from guests including Malian guitarist Vieux Farke Toure, UK dance survivors Coldcut, and Neville Staple of 2 Tone heroes The Beat. Meanwhile, there's also plenty of crafty fun, outdoors activities, and musical entertainment for younger festival-goers.
www.knockengorroch.org.uk
Happiness Inverness Comedy Festival
Various venues in Inverness, today to Sunday
There's a strong Irish look to the Highland capital's third annual comedy festival, with performances from Patrick Kielty, Sean Hughes, Jason Byrne, Patrick Monahan and Tommy Tiernan. New Zealand's Jarred Christmas and The Boy With Tape On His Face also appear, while the Scottish and English contingent includes Fred Macaulay, Zoe Lyons, Bec Smith, and Rob Deering. Elsewhere, there's also a comedy portrait exhibition, and a free family fun day with special performances, rides and giant games on Saturday.
http://happy-ness.co.uk
Tweedlove Bike Festival
Tweed Valley, from Saturday
Now the UK's biggest bike festival, Borders-based Tweedlove returns with a two-week programme of family rides, elite events, workshops, film screenings and social happenings. Up this Saturday is the Glentress Seven trail race, with Scotland's first ever World Enduro event, featuring some of the biggest names in global mountain biking to follow next weekend. The Tweed Ride also promises to be a final day highlight - a relaxed 10-mile cycle finishing with an afternoon of food, drink, entertainment and live music at Traquair House.
www.tweedlove.com
Scottish Boat Race
Riverside Museum, Glasgow, Saturday
The defining fixture of a sporting rivalry stretching back to 1877, the annual race between the Edinburgh and Glasgow University boat racing teams is one of the oldest events of its kind in the world. Now taking place in Glasgow city centre, the first of seven races featuring both men and women's crews gets underway from Broomielaw Quay at about 11am. The finish line is by the museum, where there's a Rowing Awareness Festival on to help introduce the public to the sport.
www.gla.ac.uk/services/sport/boatrace
Energetica Walking and Wildlife Festival
Aberdeenshire, Saturday and Sunday
A weekend of outdoors events, most of which are free, showcasing the natural beauty of 30 miles of coastline between Aberdeen and Peterhead. Activities include pond dipping, rock pooling, and beach cleanups, as well as wildlife spotting trips to discover seals, puffins, osprey, and bottlenose dolphins. Visitors can tour Haddo House and the University of Aberdeen's Cruickshank Botanic Garden - and there's also the chance to explore woodland trails, coastal paths, nature reserves, and miles of sandy beaches on a series of guided walks. www.energetica.uk.com/festival2014
The Road to Bannockburn
Stirling Castle, Saturday and Sunday
Learn more about the story behind Bannockburn in the run-up to the 700th anniversary of the battle with two days of Homecoming Scotland-endorsed re-enactment. Visitors can wander through Scottish and English encampments, see authentic weaponry and armour, witness combat displays, and hear about medieval battle tactics. Battle trauma expert Dr Jo Buckberry will also be on hand to discuss the discovery of nine skeletons from the time of Scottish Wars of Independence. Included in admission (£7.50-£14), the event runs from 12 to 4pm both days.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Edinburgh Zoo Nights
Edinburgh Zoo, tomorrow
The return of this after-hours event, which grants grown-ups the chance to look around the Zoo, sans kids, while enjoying a drink and some food from a selection of bars and stands set up around the park. Along with animal talks, entertainment includes a silent disco, live music, comedy, street performers, and animal face-painting. Last year's event was particularly popular, so three extra dates have been added for June 6, 20, and 27. Tickets are £20, with discounts available to Zoo members.
www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/events/edinburgh-zoo-nights/
Burns an' a' That!
Various venues in Ayr, tomorrow to Monday
South Ayrshire's annual tribute to the legacy of Robert Burns launches tomorrow with a day of events in Ayr town centre inspired by Scotland's national poet. The festival's free two-day centrepiece is Weekend In The Park, which brings a host of picnic-themed fun and live music from the likes of Matt Cardle, The Blow Monkeys and Altered Images to Belleisle Park. There's also the first ever Alloway Monday, a day of special events and entertainment at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. www.burnsfestival.com
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