1 Southside Festival
Various venues, Glasgow, May 13-29
Incorporating music, theatre and activities for all the family, this festival celebrates everything Glasgow’s Southside has to offer. The 12-day festival, which has been organised by the local community, offers 200 events in 50 venues, including Paul Moore’s comedy play ‘Couscous on the 29’, a day out at the House for an Art Lover, This is Not a Fashion Show in Govanhill Baths and a Launch Extravaganza.
With highlights last year including Old Bohemia and a tribute to Jeff Buckley, the festival promises something for everyone.
Ticket prices vary. Visit www.southsidefringe.org.uk for more details.
2 Festival of Museums
Various venues across Scotland, May 13-15
Museums across Scotland will open their doors and vaults this weekend for the annual festival which celebrates Scotland’s culture. Now in its tenth year, the festival, run by Museum Galleries Scotland, features over 100 day and night events designed to help visitors engage with museums in unique and hands-on ways and showcases Scotland’s rich cultural heritage.
Highlights this year include a renaissance fashion show at Stirling Castle, First World War Recruitment Day at the Black Watch Castle and Museum and Super Sci-Fi Saturday, a day of comic book creation and fancy dress at the Coates Observatory.
A great weekend out for the whole family.
Visit www.festivalofmuseums.com for more information.
3 Colonsay Festival of Spring
Various venues, Colonsay, until May 15
Set in the stunning surroundings of the Hebrides, this festival showcases the natural beauty of Colonsay. The event includes workshops, tours, music, exhibitions, guided historical expeditions, RSPB led bird walks and film screenings. There will even be some whisky tasting, foraging and cake baking for the culinarily inclined. It promises to be the perfect trip for those wanting to get away from the city this weekend.
Ticket prices start at £4. Visit www.colonsayevents.co.uk for more information.
The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, May 13
The wait will finally be over for Busted’s Scottish fans tomorrow when the boys bring their reunion tour to Glasgow.
Charlie, James and Matt had not performed together on the same stage for a decade before announcing their Pigs Can Fly tour last year. Known for tracks including It’s What I Go to School For, Year 3000 and Crashed the Wedding, the night promises to be one fans will never forget, with the three-piece performing some new material alongside their biggest hits.
Tickets cost £42.55-£47.10 including admin fee. Visit www.thessehydro.com for more information.
5 An evening with Flora Shedden
Birnam Arts and Conference Centre, Perth and Kinross, today
Great British Bake Off star Flora Shedden will talk about her rise to fame and reveal all of the behind the scenes gossip from the hit BBC show during this special event.
Full of interesting anecdotes and facts, the informal interview, hosted by acclaimed author and couturier Ann Lindsay, will give an insight into the Flora’s sweet success as well as the secrets behind Bake Off and the off-camera antics audiences don’t see.
It’s all in the best possible taste.
Tickets cost £15 for adults and £5 for under 16s. Visit www.birnamarts.com for more information.
6 Cairngorms Nature Festival
Cairngorms National Park, Cairngorms, May 14-15
Providing fun for all the family, this festival showcases nature found in the Cairngorms in all its glory. The hugely popular event includes Mud Pies family fun at Muir of Dinnet, Bio-blitz with Nick Baker, ranger-led walks, a nature safari and a landscape photo-post challenge. There will also be plenty of opportunities to get your hands dirty with community conservation projects, a mountain bike orienteering challenge and much more.
Entry is free to all events except Nick Baker’s talk, which costs £5. Visit www.cairngorms.co.uk for more information.
7 Loch Fyne Food Fair
Clachan, Argyll and Bute, May 14-15
Celebrating the best of local Scottish produce, the Loch Fyne Food Fair returns for its 26th year this weekend.
This year’s fair features a foraging and ‘wild foods’ workshop, oyster shucking, cocktail making demonstrations and a Gin fling.
It promises to be every foodie’s idea of heaven.
Entry to the fair is free. Visit www.lochfyne.com for more information.
8 Isle of Arran Mountain Festival
Various venues, Arran, May 13-16
Marching into its tenth year, the festival gives walkers the chance to explore the beautiful hills and mountains of Arran through a series of events and guided walks. This year’s programme includes walks along the Watch’s Step and Castles, Cir Mhor, A’Chir Mountain Ridge, Cioch na h-Oighe and Goatfell, and Beinn Bharrain.
With nine hour walks and airy scrambles on some of Arran’s towering ridges, this festival is not for the faint hearted.
Tickets start at £15 for adults and £5 for children. Visit www.arranmountainfestival.co.uk for more information.
9 Avenue Q
King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, until May 14
Featuring big songs, loveable characters and more than a few puppets, Avenue Q is like an adult version of Sesame Street. The Tony winning musical, which was created by Jeff Marx and Book of Mormon co-creator Robert Lopez, tells the story of the loveable residents of a downtown New York street who are trying to make sense of life’s burning issues.
Hilarious, cheeky and very entertaining, the show is bound to raise a chuckle.
Tickets cost £17-£31.50. Visit www.edtheatres.com for more information.
10 Al Murray
The Stand, Edinburgh, May 15
The pub landlord will bring his new show ‘Let’s Go Backwards Together’ to the Scottish capital this weekend.
The show is Murray’s first since he stood, in the guise of his much-loved character, against Ukip leader Nigel Farage in the General Election so expect politics and pub talk galore.
Tickets cost £15. Visit www.thestand.co.uk for more information.
11 Oban Live
Mossfield Park, Oban, Friday 13 - Saturday 14 May
The two day celebration will take place in the heart of Oban, where Grammy Award-nominated songstress, KT Tunstall, will headline, along with Trad superstars Capercaillie, Julie Fowlis, Skipinnish, Wolfstone and many more.
Oban Live is an unmissable showcase of live music from international acts which is set to attract visitors from all over the world to the town.
For more information and tickets, visit www.obanlive.com
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