Saturday in Edinburgh – What’s On Today

Turtles in Trouble: come and find out what you can do to help Scotland’s rare turtles – from satellite tagging programmes to reducing harmful marine litter. Say hello to Lola the life-sized Leatherback turtle model, or make your own turtle or jellyfish finger puppet! With the Marine Conservation Society. 1-4pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. For all ages: free, no booking required. Also at same times on Sunday 10th May.

Edinburgh Ballet Circle: Paquita, Death in Venice and Popular Dances. A triple bill by this company of non-professional adult ballet students from around Edinburgh: Marius Pepita’s Paquita is a glittering showcase of Russian classical dance with music by Alexander Minkus, Death in Venice is a new production based on Thomas Mann’s famous novella, with music by Benjamin Britten, and a suite of Popular Dances is set to the music of Leroy Anderson, the king of American light orchestral pieces. Directed by Jonathan Burnett. 2.45pm and 7.45pm, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry Road. Tickets cost £10/£8 and may be purchased from St Bride’s Box Office on 0131 346 1405.

Zoo Arts Extra: Beach Day – food, fire, sea, sky, sand and art! The group will leave North Edinburgh Arts at 12.30pm to walk to the beach at the Granton end of Silverknowes promenade, where there will be lunch beside a fire, with hot chocolate and marshmallows, followed by play and creative activities. At 4.30pm the group will walk back to NEA, to be collected by parents at 5pm (unless you have previously advised that your child is to make his/her own way home). Full details are on Zoo Arts Extra’s Facebook page here. 12.30pm, North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court. This trip is free, although donations are very welcome towards costs. Booking (and completion of permission slips) is essential; call into NEA, email zooarts.nea@gmail.com or call 0131 315 2151. Participants over the age of 10 years may wish to achieve an Arts Award at this event; if so, please inform Zoo Arts when you book – you will then need to arrive at 10am for research and ideas in Zoo Arts’ new Creative Space.

Storytime in the Book Bothy. Stories will be chosen to suit the ages of children attending. 11am today and every Saturday, Far From the Madding Crowd, 20 The High Street, Linlithgow.

Damian Callan Pop-Up Gallery: new drawings and paintings, framed and unframed work by the Edinburgh-based figurative artist and art teacher. Damian will give a demonstration of his drawing and painting techniques at 2pm daily, and his new book Paint Like Renoir will be available to purchase. There will also be a bargain box! 10am-6pm today and Sunday 10th May, The Art Club, Brandon Terrace (next to Coffee Angel), Canonmills. The exhibition will be available to view online here from 8th May.

Fresh Start Fundraising Sale: an opportunity to browse some of the many quality donated goods, have a coffee, try some home baking and have a go on the tombola. 10am-12 noon, the Food Station, 1 Harrison Place, Polwarth EH11 1SF. Fresh Start is an Edinburgh charity that helps people who have been homeless get established in their new home. It is Lothian Buses’ Charity of the Year 2015.

Tiger Tales: stories and crafts for ages 4-8 years. 3-4pm, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street. Free.

St Bride’s Family Cinema: see your favourite films for free! Juice and choc ices available for 50p in the interval. Please note all children under the age of 16 years must be accompanied by an adult. Today’s film is Toy Story (PG). 10.30am-12.30pm, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry Road.

Madelvic House Open Day: Madelvic House dates back to 1898 and was the first custom-built car factory in Britain. A Granton community group is now developing ideas for the building to offer local people somewhere to come together and relax. The current plan is to develop a creative hub with resident artists on the upper floor and gallery/event space below, plus a cafe and craft area with activities for the community. Today the group invites you to attend its first open day, which will include presentations on what the building could become, a craft workshop for children, a raffle and light refreshments – come along, see for yourself, learn about the history of the area, see artists at work, hear from the leaders of other successful projects from across Scotland, and discuss ideas with the group. 11am, Madelvic House, Granton Park Avenue. If you can’t make this date but would like to find out more, please contact Wendy Wager, chair of the group, at madeleviccommunity@gmail.com.

Christian Aid Week Coffee Morning – including a home baking stall. 10am-12 noon, St James Episcopal Church, 57b Inverleith Row. Tickets cost £2.50 on the door.

Water of Leith Conservation Trust Plant Sale: pick up a bargain at the famous annual plant sale! Doors open 10am, Water of Leith Vistor Centre, 24 Lanark Road. Admission by donation of 50p.

Elspeth Hart and the School for Show-offs: author Sarah Forbes and illustrator James Brown launch the first book in their new series for children aged 7-9 years. Come and hear stories about disgusting dinner ladies, see some caricature drawing, ask questions and get your book signed. 3pm, Waterstones West End, Princes Street. For more information please call 0131 226 2666.

Key Ideas in Simone Weil’s Life and Thought: Force, Affliction and Attention.  A one-day conference about the life and thought of the French philosopher, mystic and political activist. The conference facilitators will be Dr Timothy Baker, Professor Zenon Bankowski, Elizabeth Drummond Young, Dr David Levy and Professor James Williams, and the Chair will be Brian Smith, former Scottish Episcopal Bishop of Edinburgh. 10am-5.15pm (registration 9.30-10am), Sanctuary, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. Admission costs £25/£20 (concessions)/£10 (students). For more information please contact Neil Walker on 0131 331 4469 or at mesp2015@hotmail.com, This event forms part of The Edinburgh International Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace Festival 2015.

Christian Aid Week Coffee Morning: a warm welcome awaits you at this annual event. 10am-12 noon, Marchmont St Giles Parish Church Centre, 1a Kilgraston Road.

Alan James McLeod: a new exhibition. 12 noon-5pm today, then 10am-5pm Monday to Friday, 12 noon-5pm Saturdays, Doubtfire Gallery, 3 South East Circus Place. Ends 30th May 2015.

Bruncheon featuring The Sound of Muesli: original songs – from melodious, dark and dreamy to quirky and silly – from Fish to Fry, supported by Tom Kane with folk tunes and tales. The Drill Hall Arts Cafe will be offering delicious food and drinks, including breakfast dishes on a fishy theme! 11.30am-3pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Admission free.

Bookbug: for young children and their parents and carers. 10.30-11am, Oxgangs Library, 343 Oxgangs Road North.

The 42nd Annual Christian Aid Book Sale starts today: books of every kind (including antiquarian and out of print), paintings, drawings, prints, antiques, printed ephemera, sheet music, stamps, postcards, vinyl, CDs, DVDs, toys and baking, all at one of the biggest charity book sales in the world. 10am-4pm today, then 10am-3.30pm Monday to Friday, with late opening until 7pm on Thursday 14th May, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. Undercroft Cafe open all day.

The Holy Corner Christian Aid Book Sale also starts today! A wide variety of books, antiquarian items, CDs, DVDs, musical scores and much more. This year the sale will be offering a number of Alexander McCall Smith’s books, specially signed by the author for the sale. Donations of books (including any Alexander McCall Smith books for signature in advance), maps, photographs, music, etc are still needed and can be handed in at the side door of Morningside United Church during church office opening hours – or call 0131 447 3152 to arrange collection. 10am-5pm today, 11am-6pm Monday 11th to Friday 15th May and 10am-5pm on Saturday 16th May, Morningside United Church, 15 Chamberlain Road (Holy Corner). Coffee will be available today and on Saturday 16th May.

Dads Rock: the first free musical playgroup for Dads and their kids (aged 0-5) in Scotland. 10-11.30am, Gate 55, 55 Sighthill Road and The Prentice Centre, 1 Granton Mains Avenue. For more information please call David on 07511 533 432 or Thomas on 07807 498 709.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents The Scottish Lute: Eric Thomas plays a selection of Scottish music from some of the earliest sources, including the Rowallan, Straloch and Panmur 5 manuscript. Eric is currently studying for a Masters in Historically Informed Performance Practice at Glasgow University and RCS. 2pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets may be obtained from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8218, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.

Gallery of Modern Art Highlight Tours: monthly tours of the Gallery’s permanent collection, focusing on key works. 2-2.45pm or 3-3.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE (meet at main entrance), Belford Road. Free and unticketed.

Linlithgow Street Fair: a fundraising event for local organisations and charities, taking place around The Cross. A large variety of goods for sale, plus raffles, tombolas and other games. Any charitable organisation can take a stall for a nominal fee – email the clerk, rosswmcintosh@btopenworld.com, for more information. From 1pm, The Cross, Linlithgow. Organised by Linlithgow Marches and Deacons’ Court.

The Wee One: writer/performer Philip Rainford’s first full length stage play focuses on an older couple, Marie and John, and their grown up son Danny, who persists in living with them. ‘A heartwarming and original story about the tragi-comic circumstances of their situation’. Director Alan Tomkins and a cast of five talented local performers have come on board to stage the play’s premiere performance in Edinburgh’s newest licensed studio theatre. 7.30pm (box office opens 7pm), DISCOVER 21, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Tickets cost £5 per person and may be purchased in advance from Brown Paper Tickets here (transaction fee applies), or on the night (sta).

Portobello Open Door Film Night: Birdman (15). 7pm, The Wash House Community Centre, 3 Adelphi Grove. Tickets costs £5/£3 and may be purchased from Popeye’s Sandwich Bar, 132 Portobello High Street. Bring your beanbag; tea/coffee and snacks are available to purchase at very reasonable prices, but feel free to bring your own food and drink if you wish.

Culture Shock: dedicated to bringing you the best in cult and genre films. Today a double bill, Mad Max 1 and 2, both films directed by George Miller and starring a much younger Mel Gibson. In Mad Max (18), an Australian policeman sets out to avenge his partner, his wife and his son, murdered by a motorcycle gang in retaliation for the death of their leader. Mad Max 2:The Road Warrior (18) is set in a post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland, where a cynical drifter agrees to help a small gasoline-rich community escape a gang of bandits. ‘Oil-black humour and superbly choreographed chase sequences make for an unforgettably thrilling joyride’. 9pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723.

Sex, War and Painting or The Bible is Not Enough: a two-part exploration of Christian Revelation in the Bible, Human Reason and Sacred Art. Two lectures: When the Bible gets it wrong: Sex and War, and When the Bible isn’t enough: Crib, Cross and Paintings – with discussion plus lunch with wine or soft drinks. The event will be led by Professor David Brown FBA FRSE (Professorial Fellow, Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts, St Andrew’s University). 10am-4pm, St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street. Free but registration is required: for more information or to book, please email Dr Stephen Holmes at stephen_holmes@stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk.

Lou Lou’s Vintage Fair: the biggest vintage fair in the UK, with over one hundred stalls selling vintage men’s and women’s clothing, accessories, homewares, collectibles, knick knacks, furniture, jewellery and more. 11am-4pm, Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street. Admission £2 (children under 12 years free).

A Scandinavian Ceilidh featuring The Flaming Heathers! The Scottish Swedish Society and the Danish Scottish Society invite all Scandis and friends to this fun event. Over 18 years only. 8-11pm, Lauriston Hall, Lauriston Street. Tickets cost £10 in advance via the Scottish Swedish Society’s website here or £12 on the door.

Nothing Ever Happens Here: TeenCanteen Presents The Girl Effect: a fundraiser for Scottish Women’s Aid. Over ten acts will perform covers of songs by girl groups past and present. Over 18s only. 7-10pm, Dissection Room, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £10 and may be booked here. Arranged with support from Tape Studio.

Cadenza in Concert: Mary & Motets, Madrigals & Moderns. The Cadenza Choir performs some of its lighter repertoire of a cappella and accompanied part songs: classical, contemporary, folk and jazz arrangements – Gibbons to Greig Rogers, Hart, Macmillan, Pentatonix and more. 7.30pm, Polwarth Parish Church, Polwarth Terrace. Tickets cost £10/£8 (concessions)/£2 (children) from Cadenza’s Concert Manager on 07985 091 714, from choir members or on the door (sta). Refreshments will be available in the interval.