1 Scottish Home Show 2015
AECC, Aberdeen, Fri-Sun
If you’ve ever wondered about how to create the perfect room, brighten up your garden, or build your own house, the north east’s biggest homes and interiors event could be just the place. Featuring big name brands such as AGA, Bang & Olufsen and Baxters, the show’s 200 exhibitors cover everything from design and decorating to luxury food and the latest gadgets, while TV lifestyle triumvirate Linda Barker, Tommy Walsh, and Charlie Dimmock head up a rolling programme of masterclasses and live demonstrations. Tickets on the door are £7.50-£10, with under 15 free. www.scottishhomeshow.com
2 Baxter’s Loch Ness Marathon
Bught Park, Inverness, Sun
Cheer on one of Scotland’s most spectacularly scenic running events. The marathon and 10K races are sold out - although anyone committed enough to endure the necessary training will surely have signed up long ago. For those who fancy winging it, however, there are still a limited number of 5K fun run (£12) and Wee Nessie kids race (£5) entries available. Be sure to check out the spin-off Festival of Running (Sat-Sun), featuring children’s activities, a sports expo, and a food and drink fayre backed by sponsors Baxters. www.lochnessmarathon.com
3 Explorathon 15
Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, Fri
Discovery, debate and entertainment collide on Friday as the European Researcher’s Night initiative celebrates its 10th anniversary in 280 cities across the continent. Set up to give the public a chance to find out more about what scientists, educators and researchers actually do, the occasion is marked in Scotland with a day of events, talks, family activities and interactive shows on everything from archaeology to the work done by zoos. As well as Glasgow’s biggest museums, venues include the National Museum of Scotland, Glasgow Science Centre, and Satrosphere in Aberdeen. www.explorathon.co.uk
4 Wheels and Wings Show
National Museum of Flight, East Lothian, Sun
East Fortune Airfield’s ever-popular autumn day out, featuring cars, bike and planes a-plenty - alongside an abundance of have-a-go activities and family fun. As well as over 150 classic vehicles, attractions include a mini-traction engines display, plus motorcycle and mountain bike stunt shows. Elsewhere, you can meet a former Concorde pilot, come face to face with birds of prey, take spin on a Segway, and try your hand to operating a real digger. Entry is £6-£11, with under 5s free. www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-flight
5 Pout Edinburgh
Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, Sat-Sun
We could all use a spot of pampering from time to time. Luckily enough, there’s loads to go around at this glamorous women’s lifestyle show, returning with another two days of fashion, shopping, health and beauty. As well as relaxing treatments and makeovers, there are champagne and cocktail bars, and variety of top retailers and exhibitors showcasing the latest autumn and winter trends. Entertainment also includes live catwalk shows and masterclasses from The Cook School Scotland. Tickets are £15 (£20 weekend), with under 12s free. www.poutevent.com
6 MCM Scotland Comic Con
SECC, Glasgow, Sat-Sun
A great excuse to get your geek on at one of the UK’s biggest shows celebrating comic books, video games, science fiction, fantasy, film and TV. As well as the chance to buy collectibles, merchandise, toys, and gadgets, there will be the opportunity to meet comic creators, artists and publishers - as well as some famous faces from the world of pop culture. This year’s guests include knightly Game of Thrones pair Ian Beattie and Ian McElhinney, and Star Trek Voyager’s Robert Picardo. Day tickets start at £11. www.mcmcomiccon.com/scotland
7 Wigtown Book Festival
Wigtown, from Fri
Another 10 days of literary celebration in rural Galloway as Scotland’s national book town hosts its 17th annual festival. Along with the usual mix of high profile authors, talks and performances, there’s plenty on for families, including a dedicated children’s festival and a selection of events programmed for and by young people. Up this weekend, publisher Jamie Byng reveals all about 21 years of Canongate, activist Caroline Criado-Perez discusses inspirational women, Val McDermid launches latest novel Splinter the Silence, and TV producer Richard Brown goes behind the scenes of hit show True Detective. www.wigtownbookfestival.com
8 Rebels and Redcoats
Stirling Castle, Sat-Sun
Drawing on Stirling Castle’s central role in Scotland’s turbulent past, this weekend of re-enactment marks the 300th anniversary of The Battle of Sheriffmuir. As well as an opportunity to meet garrisoned soldiers and captured prisoners, there will also be a chance to find out more about the 1715 Jacobite Rising and the run-up to the battle, with demonstrations of spinning and weaving and talks on herbal medicine helping to cast light on the role of women during the period. On from noon to 4pm on both days, entry is £14.50 (£8.70 children). www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk
9 Disney On Ice
Braehead Arena, Renfrew, from Fri
Is September too early for a festive show? Not if you want to catch Disney’s latest ice dance extravaganza on the only Scottish dates of a blockbuster three-month UK tour. Subtitled Worlds of Enchantment and featuring top notch choreography, colourful costumes, state of the art animatronics, and breathtaking skating skills, the show’s four main showpieces are routines based on Toy Story 3, Cars, The Little Mermaid and wintry mega-hit Frozen. Running daily until October 4 (not Monday or Tuesday), tickets are £16-£41. www.disneyonice.co.uk
10 Sanctuary 2015
Murray’s Monument, near
Newton Stewart, Sat-Sun
A second trip to south-west Scotland for the week’s most curious offering - an otherworldly public art experience in remote Galloway Dark Skies Park, a place with no light pollution and virtually zilch in the way of mobile connectivity. On for 24 hours from noon on Saturday, the event will feature new work ranging from interactive performances and light installations to sound works and video projections. Be sure to bring a radio so you can tune into a specially-created FM broadcast of previously unheard music and audio. http://sanctuary2015.org
Don't Miss
Secret Forest Tales
Kelburn Estate, near Largs, Fri-Mon
Join a Fairy Tale crime unit, meet storytellers and take part in all manner of outdoor fun and games in a mysterious woodland complex of paths and raised walkways. Access to the estate’s usual attractions, gardens and play areas is included with admission (£8.50/£6.50 kids). www.kelburnestate.com
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