1 Glasgow Film Festival

Various venues, Glasgow, until March 4

The city’s 14th annual celebration of cinema – now one of the largest film festivals in the UK – will feature more than 330 separate events and screenings, showcasing over 180 films from 51 countries. Stephan Komandarev’s taxi-drama Directions spotlights Bulgarian society in turmoil today, while tomorrow Todd Haynes’s Wonderstruck creates a sweet, whimsical fable filled with warmth and charm. On Saturday, heartfelt, coming-of-age drama Lean On Pete gives insight into the rugged American heartland.The event will host 77 UK premieres, as Hollywood legend Bill Pullman flies into Glasgow for the premiere of his acclaimed new Western The Ballad of Lefty Brown tomorrow. With special events and pop-up cinema experiences, there’s something for the whole family this year.

Prices vary. Visit glasgowfilm.org/glasgow-film-festival to see the packed programme.

2 Chinese New Year 2018

Various venues, Glasgow, Sunday

Join Kelvin Hall, The Riverside Museum and Kelvingrove Museum for Chinese New Year where there will be lots of activities, including a fun, family trail and a lion dance between all three venues. Scottish physician John Dudgeon spent nearly 40 years in China and donated to our the Riverside’s collection.

Join the venue’s curator of Chinese and Far Eastern Civilisations for a talk to find out more. Inspired by the Riverside’s incredible Chinese ceramic horses, head along to make your own animal puppet to play with.

Head to glasgowlife.org.uk for more information.

3 Brendan Cole: All Night Long

Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, today and tomorrow

This magical show full of dance, live music and incredible staging features all of your Strictly favourites. From beautiful waltzes to powerful paso doblés, this show, created and hosted by New Zealand ballroom dancer Cole, takes audiences through a mesmerising night of comedy and passion, and includes a guitar spot for Cole himself.

Tickets start from £37.50, plus booking fee. Buy from eden-court.co.uk. The show then moves on to Dunfermline’s Alhambra Theatre on Saturday and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Sunday.

4 Cirque Berserk!

Edinburgh Festival Theatre, until Saturday

Showcasing the finest in traditional circus thrills and skills, Cirque Berserk! brings this treasured form of live entertainment, bang up to date and in a jaw-dropping spectacular created especially for the theatre. Combining contemporary cirque-style artistry with adrenaline-fuelled stunt action, this astoundingly talented international troupe includes more than 30 jugglers, acrobats, aerialists, dancers, drummers and daredevil stuntmen.

Tickets cost between £20.50 and £30.50, including booking fee. Head to edtheatres.com to purchase.

5 Inverness Music Festival

Various venues, Inverness, from Saturday

Run by a team of dedicated volunteers, this competitive festival provides opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to develop their potential in a wide range of musical events. There are 75 trophies, shields and cups awarded at various classes, as well as six levels of certificate. All the classes throughout the festival are open to the public and are staged in a variety of venues in Eden Court Theatre. The event runs until March 7.

Visit invernessmusicfestival.org for more information and to see the full timetable.

6 Snowdrop Festival

Cambo Estate, St Andrews, until March 11

Part of the wider Scottish Snowdrop Festival, now in its 11th year, the event aims to encourage locals and tourists to enjoy the wonders of Scotland’s gardens during the snowdrop flowering period and highlight the diversity of the country’s array of snowdrop collections. Events include snowdrop sketch walks through the woodlands, wildcraft activities for families and a course with the estate’s head gardener in designing a modern winter garden.

Adults pay £5.50 while children go free. Visit camboheritagetrust.org.uk to know more.

7 Coffee: A Global Success

Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, until March 18

Coffee is the second most important trading commodity worldwide, after oil. Discover the history of its global success and the part played by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in the story, and learn about what is being done to preserve the last habitats of wild Arabica coffee and give them lasting protection for future generations.

Event is free and no booking is required.

8 Chinese New Year Festival

Inverurie Town Hall, Aberdeen, Saturday

Fun for all the family as the Chinese community sees in the Year of the Dog, see Yee’s Hung Ga Scotland Kung Fu, a lion and dragon dance, Chinese music and dance and the Redphoenix dance group. Try your hand at wrapping dumplings Chinese style and take your creations home for supper. Enjoy arts and crafts, including calligraphy, learn how to use chopsticks the fun way or try “keepy-uppy” with a Chinese Jianzi.

Free to attend, from 10am to 3pm.

9 Vampires Rock: The Ghost Train

Gaiety Theatre, Ayr, today

A spectacular sequel to the phenomenally successful Vampires Rock, this tongue-in-cheek story with spellbinding cast, awesome fire routines, guitar gods and vampettes are all set to take audiences on a ride through some of the greatest classic rock anthems ever, including tracks from Queen, AC/DC, Meat Loaf, and Guns N’ Roses.

Tickets are between £23.50 and £29, plus booking fee. Buy at thegaiety.co.uk. The show then moves onto Perth Concert Hall tomorrow and Eden Court in Inverness on Saturday.

10 For Queen and Country

RCN Scotland, Edinburgh, March 30

Discover how conflicts have affected the physical and mental health of service personnel and civilians. From the Crimean War in 1853, when trained nurses were first posted to a war zone, to Afghanistan in 2014, nurses doing their duty for Queen and country continue to provide skilled, compassionate care to anyone at every stage of the patient experience. This exhibition tells the story of nurses in wartime.

The free event is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, from 10am to 4pm.