1 Edinburgh International Science Festival
Venues across Edinburgh, from Sat
The UK’s largest science, technology, engineering and design festival, landing just in time for the school holidays with more than 270 events over the next two weeks. Along with a huge family-focused programme of immersive workshops, exciting experiments and performers from around the world at venues such as the City Arts Centre, this year features an enormous number of talks, discussions and special events for adults, including food and drink strand Gastrofest and The Sounds of Science, a new project featuring percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie. www.sciencefestival.co.uk
2 Glasgow Restaurant Festival
Across Glasgow, from Fri
Glasgow’s culinary scene is celebrated over four weeks of promotions, special menus and pop-up dining with the city’s best chefs and favourite restaurants. Centred on a Speigeltent at Candleriggs, tickets for the opening weekend’s Secret Dining event are available from £5. The same venue goes on to host a different pop-up restaurant every day from April 1-17, with Dining In The City, a week of specially-priced menus and foodie events at more than 60 Glasgow restaurants starting on April 18. www.glasgowrestaurantfestival.co.uk
3 Dino Discoveries
Dundee Science Centre, daily until May 22
Take a trip back in time this Easter with this new family show using ingenious articulated puppetry to reveal the physical characteristics behind the dinosaurs’ domination of the prehistoric world. Helping bring the past to life for younger visitors is a dinosaur dig activity aimed at preschool children. Included with admission (£5.95-£7.95, under-fives free), the centre also hosts a spin-off Meet the Experts day featuring games, activities and workshops on April 9. www.dundeesciencecentre.org.uk
4 Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Across Scotland, Fri-Mon
Around 60 National Trust for Scotland properties are signed up for this chocolatey Easter weekend treasure hunt. Simply sign up (£2 per person), follow the clues, solve the puzzles, and claim your reward. Many participating venues also promise face-painting, games and craft activities, with special events including Duck Race days at Leith Hall in Aberdeenshire and Barry Mill near Carnoustie, and a weekend inspired by Alice In Wonderland at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. www.nts.org.uk/events/theme/easter-events
5 Wild Spring Festival
Dumfries and Galloway, from Fri
This long-running annual wildlife festival, billed as the country’s most family friendly, features more than 60 events across the south west of Scotland over the next fortnight, many of which are free of charge. Kicking off this weekend with a variety of Easter-themed activities for younger visitors, this year’s programme spans everything from guided walks, outdoor den-building and nature trails for tots to wilderness bike rides, food foraging trips and nocturnal animal-spotting tours with local guides. www.wildseasons.co.uk
6 New Hangars Opening Celebration
National Museum of Flight, East Lothian, Fri
Home to a range of fascinating exhibits on the history of flight, Scotland’s national aviation museum in East Lothian is hosting a day of family-focused activities this Good Friday. The event has been organised to mark the opening of two newly restored hangars dedicated to military and civil aircraft after the completion of a £3.6 million refurbishment project. Special attractions will include First World War living history displays, science shows and a glider-building technical challenge for families. Entry is £5-£10 (under-fives free). www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-flight
7 Puppet Animation Festival
Across Scotland, until April 15
Another annual fixture of the spring events scene, Puppet Animation Scotland’s 32nd annual performance festival for children started at the weekend. Taking place in over 40 venues around the country, many of them outside larger towns and cities, the programme includes performances from 18 children’s theatre companies, along with hands-on workshops and screenings of some of the best new animated films. Running until April 15, this weekend’s performances are in Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline, Lochgilphead, Loch Earn, and Edinburgh. www.puppetanimationfestival.org
8 Clip n’ Climb
Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, Ratho, from Fri
The first attraction of its type to open in Scotland, EICA: Ratho’s colourful new activity zone offers a safe and accessible introduction into the world of climbing. Designed to offer a fun but rigorous physical and mental challenge for everyone over the age of four, Clip n’ Climb uses an innovative automatic belay system to enable even those with no prior experience to get stuck into a series of wacky-looking obstacles completely unaided. With all equipment provided, each hour-long session costs £8-£15. www.eica-ratho.co.uk
9 Mark Beaumont: Africa Solo Tour
Various venues, from Fri
Scots adventurer and cyclist Mark Beaumont is in the midst of a UK multi-media lecture tour with the story of his latest record-breaking solo trip, in which he rode from Cairo to Cape Town in under 42 days, racking up an average of 160 miles a day along the way. Stopping off in Dunkeld, Inverness and Aberdeen between tomorrow and Tuesday, the tour also returns for a night at Stirling’s Albert Halls on Saturday April 1. www.speakersfromtheedge.com
10 Easter Egg Extravaganza
Traquair House, Innerleithen, Sun
Declared to be the biggest event of its kind in the Borders, this day of family friendly Easter fun includes three separate egg hunts for children under 10, and a total of 5,500 mini chocolate eggs waiting to be found within the estate’s maze. Elsewhere, activities will include traditional egg painting, storytelling, and bonnet and instrument making, with a huge Easter parade for visitors at 3pm. With the grounds of the estate open from 11am and activities starting from midday, admission is £5-£6 (under-fives free). www.traquair.co.uk
Don’t Miss: Talking Building
Glasgow and around Scotland, from Fri
The Glasgow Institute of Architects is launching this quirky urban treasure hunt to celebrate 100 award-winning buildings which are either in the Glasgow area or designed by Glaswegian architects and found around the country. Part of the 2016 Festival of Architecture, details are at www.gia.org.uk/events/foa2016/talking-building
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