Friday in Edinburgh – What’s On Today

Coburg House’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning: Coburg Studios’ resident talents present an array of cakes as diverse as their artwork. Homegrown favourites – and Chinese steamed buns! 10am-2pm, Coburg House Gallery, 15 Coburg Street, Leith. In aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Postcards From….200 artists have been invited to create postcard-sized artworks exploring people’s perceptions of mental health. An eclectic mix showcasing different themes, mediums, styles and techniques. Open preview tonight 6-8pm then 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday until 25th October 2014, Gallery on the Corner, 34 Northumberland Street. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.

Forces of Nature: the power of nature is explored by artists who have experience of mental health conditions. Open preview tonight 6-8pm then 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday until 25th October 2014, Gallery on the Corner, 34 Northumberland Street. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.

Explorathon ’14: One Night, Unlimited Discovery. An extravaganza of discovery, debate and entertainment to celebrate European Researchers’ Night. Events for all ages, from Meet the Experts drop-ins to a Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas, from Volcano Night to Steampunk Science and Cafe Scientifique. 1-10pm, various venues – see website for details. Many events free, some may charge; booking required for some events.

The Guid Crack Club: Promises, Pacts and Careless Oaths. Storyteller John Wheeler from Galloway shares stories of cunning, compassion, beauty and poetic justice at Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling night. 7.30-10pm, Waverley Bar (upstairs), 3-5 St Mary’s Street. Accompanied young adults welcome. Entry by donation (suggested donation £3.) More information here.

Walking Group: free, volunteer-led walking group: open to all, various locations accessible by public transport. 10 am every Friday.  For more information or to register your interest call Lianne or Clare on 0131 551 1671, email admin@pchp.org.uk or drop in to the Pilton Community Health Project at 73 Boswall Parkway – or just turn up on the day.

Tanino Duo: Fernando Sanchez (guitar) and Santiago Alverez (chromatic harmonica) play original arrangements of Argentinian tangos along with valses, milongas and folk music. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square, University of Edinburgh. Free and unticketed.

The Long and the Short of It: an evening with Mark Douglas-Home and Peter Ross. September’s literary salon will focus on different forms of writing, looking at stylistic similarities and differences between journalism and fiction and the unique challenges of both long form and short form writing. Mark Douglas-Home is an author (The Sea Detective and The Woman Who Walked Into The Sea) and former editor of the Herald.  Peter Ross is a six time winner at the Scottish Press Awards and widely regarded as one of Scotland’s finest feature writers. He recently published Daunderlust, a collection of his Around Scotland columns for Scotland on Sunday. 6.30-9pm, Golden Hare Books, 68 St Stephen St, Stockbridge (please note new address.)  Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite.

Leith Community Centre Youth Activities: 1-2.30pm: Multi-Sports for P5-P7 with qualified sports coaches, 3-4.30pm: TGI Friday for 11-15 year olds (includes access to sports and gaming facilities) 6-8pm. £1 per week, today and every Friday. Leith Community Centre, 12a New Kirkgate.

SURF: Cyber cafe and sexual health service for 14-18 year olds, 6-8pm, Leith Community Centre, 12a New Kirkgate. Free.

Out of the Box Boxing Club: learn to box with qualified coaches. For boys and girls aged 12-18. 5-6.30pm every Friday, Leith Victoria Boxing Club, 28 Academy Street. £1.50 per week, payable at the door.

Classical Musicians Scotland presents Ian Watt, internationally acclaimed guitarist. Aberdeenshire-born Watt will play JS Bach, Scarlatti, Mangore, Turina and Torroba. 1-2pm, St Cuthbert’s Church, Lothian Road. Free entry: retiring collection.

Gallery Social – GENERATION: 25 Years of Contemporary Art in Scotland. Join artists for relaxed guided tours for anyone affected by dementia, their friends, relatives and supporters. These very informal tours will begin with refreshments in the Learning Centre. 10.30am-12 noon, National Gallery of Scotland (Gardens Entrance), The Mound. Free but bookings should be made by contacting the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560.

An ‘Unprofitable’ Sport? Bans, Billionaires and the Growth of Golf. Golf has come a long way since it was first documented, prohibited by an Act of Parliament in 1457. Laurie Rae, Senior Curator at the British Golf Museum, will discuss how the game has developed, from the east coast of Scotland to the Olympic Games. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

ECA Friday Lecture Series: Oliver Chanarin ‘Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt.’ Chanarin is one half of Broomberg & Chanarin, artists living and working in London. They have had numerous international exhibitions and founded the imprint Chopped Liver Press to publish and sell their own and other artists’ books. In 2013 they were awarded the Deutsche Borse Photography Prize in recognition of their ‘significant contribution to the medium of photography’ for War Primer 2, and most recently collected the ICP Infinity Award 2014 for their publication Holy Bible.  11.30am-1pm, Main Lecture Theatre (E22), Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. Free and open to all.

Serenity Cafe Club Night: Jim Smith Soul Spectacular. Family-friendly –  ‘the drink and drug-free alternative.’ 7pm, Serenity Cafe, 8 Jackson’s Entry, off Royal Mile. £6 waged/£4 unwaged. Serenity is Scotland’s first Recovery Cafe.

Dunbar Traditional Music Festival: want to get away from it all this weekend?  Dunbar Trad Music Festival includes jazz, folk, traditional Scottish and blues music, and almost every event is FREE. In addition, strolling musicians and singers are welcome to acoustic and open mic sessions at the Royal Mackintosh Hotel on Saturday, Sunday and Monday afternoons. Starts today, ends Monday evening.  Various venues: see website for programme.

The Southside Choir: a concert programme of popular music in aid of the homeless. 8pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, Royal Mile. Free: donations requested.

The Jura Music Festival 2014 – want to get really far away from it all this weekend? The 2014 Jura Music Festival starts today and ends on Sunday. Great celebrations of traditional music and craic!  Grand Concert, ceilidhs, workshops and sessions for all ages. For ticket prices and availability see website or call 01496 820 362. ‘6000 deer, 200 people.’