PENFEST: a week of celebrating local talent in Penicuik, with concerts, exhibitions, workshops, poetry, music, local studios, trails and talks. Today The Castaways open the festival with a free concert of varied close harmony song set against the backdrop of the annual Open Art Exhibition. Come and be entertained, vote for your favourite picture and snap up a bargain! Concert (seated) 2-2.30pm, after which the exhibition will be open to view. Penicuik Community Arts, 4 West Street, Penicuik. There will also be a nature-inspired drop-in Felt Crafting Workshop 11am-1.30pm, (entry by donation) at Penicuik Town Hall, High Street – all welcome: for more information about the workshop please call Jenni on 07769 228028. More events follow throughout the week: see website.
Scottish Waterways Trust Wildflower Survey: volunteer to become a ‘citizen scientist’ and help the Trust discover more about the plants growing on the canalside in Edinburgh. Develop your plant ID skills, make friends and have fun. 10.30am-1pm, Water of Leith Conservation Trust, 24 Lanark Road. The surveys are led by Anna Canning of Floramedica: contact her on 07790 885969 or at anna.canning@blueyonder.co.uk Free.
Magic Carpet Mini Diggers: the start of a month of archaeological discovery and stories, with activities taking place at the Museum every weekend in September. At Magic Carpet Mini Diggers young children can enjoy archaeology-themed songs, stories and actions on the Magic Carpet, before putting new skills to the test with the toddler-friendly dig box. For ages 2-4, accompanied by an adult. 11am (meet at 10.50am at green fountain) Grand Gallery, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free but booking is required and may be made from 1st September: please call the Museum on 0300 123 6789 for more information. Also at same time on Sunday 6th and every weekend in September.
Storytime with BB & Hardy: in the Book Bothy at 11am today and every Saturday, Far From the Madding Crowd, 20 Linlithgow High Street. Free.
Polish Rhymetime: songs and rhymes for children aged 0-4 and their parents and carers. 11am, Piershill Library, 30 Piershill Terrace.
The Sutton Gallery Presents Thomas Cameron: a first solo exhibition by the Glasgow-based artist and recent graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design. Cameron’s work explores the everyday scenes that often go unnoticed through their apparent familiarity; he is particularly drawn to the urban landscape and the relationship between nature and the built environment. Film is a major influence in his work, which has been likened to that of Edward Hopper. Preview today 4-6pm, then 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday, The Sutton Gallery, 18a Dundas Street. Ends 26th September 2015.
Radical Creatives’ Cafe: taking inspiration from Wool Against Weapons Scotland and Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom exhibition ‘100 Years of Women Campaiging for Peace’ which will be on show at Out of the Blue from 4th September. Come along and crochet a white poppy, knit some peace bunting for the Faslane fence, help re-purpose some of the Wool Against Weapons’ pink scarves into blankets for refugees and others in need, or hatch another radical knitting/crochet plan! Sing while you work; there will be an optional songwriting workshop with Penny Stone 2-3.30pm (suggested donation £5). 2-5pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Please bring knitting needles, wool and other crafting materials. For more information please contact Jane Lewis at jane@gn.apc.org.
Foam, Foil and Form Workshop: explore the materials and techniques used by the artist in these drop-in art workshops inspired by the sculptures of John Chamberlain. Experiment with colour and form by making miniature foam sculptures, sculpt with foil or create through collage – take your work home! For ages 4+ – please note that children must be accompanied by an adult. 2-4pm, Meeting Room (upstairs), John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free: no booking required.
Zoo Arts Extra Summer Animation Film Screening: an outing to the Filmhouse to see the results of the summer animation project and other films and animations created by Zoo Arts Extra, followed by art making and a visit to two Edinburgh Art Festival exhibitions. Meet at 10am, North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court. Transport and refreshments will be provided and the group will return to NEA around 4.30pm, Free (suggested donation £3). Booking is required: please call into North Edinburgh Arts or contact them on 0131 315 2151.
The Small-Scale Sculpture of John Chamberlain: Joy Wood, Research Curator at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, discusses the work and legacy of John Chamberlain in relation to the current exhibition at Inverleith House. The talk will be followed by a screening of HEAARTBEAT (2012), a documentary directed and filmed by Chamberlain’s stepdaughter Alexandra Fairweather, which presents an intimate portrait of the artist who wanted to create ‘art to make your heart beat’, and his views on art, family, friendships and life. 2pm, Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Tickets cost £3/£2 and may be booked via eventbrite here.
Dig It! At the Museum: Hands on History. The start of a month of archaeological discovery and stories, with events taking place in the Museum every weekend in September; explore objects from Scotland, Europe and beyond, all with an archaeological story to discover. Today’s session will be led by Dr Alison Sheridan, Principal Curator Prehistory, NMS. 2-4pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free, drop-in, no booking required. See also Magic Carpet Mini Diggers for activities for children aged 2-4 years.
Portrait Gallery Thematic Tours: Paolozzi’s Heads. Duncan Roberston, Edinburgh-based sculptor, gallery educator, and former student of Eduardo Paolozzi, will lead a tour around the Head to Head exhibition, taking a closer look at Paolozzi’s Crash Test (1970) and John Smith (1996) in the context of the other works in the exhibition. 2-2.45pm or 3-3.45pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.
This Will Not Reoccur: a one-day-only exhibition of brand new work from Donna Lauder, Georgia Sparkes, Daniel Twist, Kaitlyn Walker-Stewart and Joshua Waterson, all past Contemporary Art Practice students from Edinburgh College who have now moved on variously to Central St Martins, Glasgow School of Art, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design and Northumbria University. A range of themes will be explored through painting, video and performance in this fast paced exhibition. 3.30-8pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street.
In Film: Kaare Espolin Johnson and Johannes Sveinsson Kjarval. Two special film screenings about the life and work of two exceptional Nordic artists. Johnson was a Norwegian painter and graphic artist who produced striking images of people and seascapes, despite being almost blind. Kjarval was an orphan, and a fisherman who became Iceland’s most prolific painter, using a variety of styles to depict landscape and lava formation. The screening will be followed by a talk and Q & A session hosted by journalist and broadcaster Lesley Riddoch. 2-4.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Free but booking is required and may be made in person, by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579 or online here.
Love Food: a new exhibition of paintings and photography by Julie, Hayley and Harriet Murden – a celebration of all we love to eat and drink. 10am-5pm Tuesday to Friday, 9am-5pm Saturdays, 1-4pm Sundays, The Line Gallery, 238 High Street, Linlithgow.
Currie Fair: stalls, bouncy castle, refreshments, dancers, singers, baking competition and a variety of community stands. 12 noon-4pm, Pentland View Park, Pentland View, Currie.
Seaweed for Health: come and meet representatives from the Seaweed Health Foundation and find out how Scottish seaweeds are being harvested and being used as ingredients in food and nutrition products – 
and exported around the world. Touch and taste the different species! There will also be a programme of talks covering many aspects of the subject; see RBGE website here for details and times. 12 noon-4pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free and unticketed. Also 10.30am-5pm on Sunday 6th September (with a different programme of talks).
Simon Rivett: Northern Exposure/Snow and Ice. The Lewis-based artist’s first solo show in Edinburgh is an exploration of Northern places – home in the North West of Scotland, Iceland and the north west coast of Arctic Norway and Svalbard. 12 noon-5pm today, then 10am-5pm Monday to Friday, 12 noon-5pm Saturdays, Doubtfire Gallery, 3 South East Circus Place. Ends 26th September 2015.
King’s Theatre September Backstage Tour: find out what goes on behind the scenes at the theatre, learn about the fascinating past of the ‘Grand Old Lady of Leven Street’, and access areas not usually seen by the public. 10.30am, King’s Theatre, Leven Street, Tollcross. Tickets cost £7.50 (includes refreshments) and may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 529 6000 or online here. A transaction fee applies to all phone and online bookings.
Mary Morrison, Marie Scott and Edmond Byrne: a new exhibition of paintings and glass. 10.30am-5.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday, Gallery Ten, 10 Stafford Street. Private view 2-4.30pm, Saturday 12th September 2015.
Friends of Braidburn Valley Tea In The Park Fun Day: entertainment and activities for all, including musicians from the Morningside School of Music, Auld Spice Ceilidh Band, The Vikings of Din Eidyn, Angela Watson School of Dance display, storytelling, Fun Dog Show, magician and balloon modeller, Greenbank Church Messy Activities, bouncy castles, raft-building, face painting, crafts, home baking, bar, ice cream, refreshments, and the world famous Duck Race! 2-4.30pm, Braidburn Valley Park, Comiston Road. See the Friends of Braidburn Park Facebook page here for more information (including classes/registration for the Dog Show). Free entry: charge for some activities.
The Dead Man’s Waltz: ‘haunting and melancholy melodies, strange driving rhythms and subtle ingenious lyrics’ from the Skye-based folk noir band. ‘The Dead Man’s Waltz find the common ground between the bleak tragedy of the island folk ballads and the more flamboyant execution of the European cabaret tradition’ (The Scotsman). 9pm, The Skylark, 241 Portobello High Street. Free.
Beyond Borders Film Festival: featuring documentary-style films about individuals and communities caught in conflict and change, the festival explores some of the most crucial and immediate changes happening in the modern world, with a special focus on women and conflict, the changes brought by modern warfare and the changes experienced by those at the epicentre of conflict. Today’s films are both part of the Women: Agents of Change series: (1) at 4.05pm: Burden of Peace (12A) (in Spanish with English subtitles) – the impressive story of Claudia Paz y Paz, the first woman to lead the public prosecutor’s office in Guatamela, one of the most violent in the world. As Paz begins an attack against corruption and drug gangs, she does something everyone had hitherto thought impossible; she arrests former dictator Efrain Rios Montt on charges of genocide; (2) at 6.05pm: God is Not Working on Sunday! (15) (in English and French with English subtitles) – a film revealing the reality of today’s Rwanda, a country still coping with the consequences of genocide. 
Twenty years on it is considered one of the most economically successful countries on the African continent; the emancipation of women has moved the country forward, but the trauma of war still persists in the minds of many women. Directed by Leona Goldstein, who follows the work of activists Godelieve Mukasarasi and Florida Mukarubuga as they encourage women to speak out, fight for their rights and support each other. Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 6382 or online: prices vary.
Art Walk Porty: a new four day art event celebrating the public space and artistic activity of Portobello. Open studios, designer-makers, site specific art in hidden and unfamiliar parts of the Prom and beach, exhibitions, installations, art in shops and cafes, and a makers’ market. Today’s events will include Stone Wall Pointing, a workshop run by craftsman stonemason Mark Peaty: come and learn to point a wall, and help with St Mark’s historic Grade 2 listed one. 10.30am, St Mark’s Church, 287 Portobello High Street. Free but please register by calling Sophia Marriage on 0131 629 1219 or emailing sophia.marriage@stmarksportobello.org. Art Walk Porty continues throughout the weekend at various locations around Portobello, see the event’s website here for full information. Ends Sunday 6th September 2015.
Edinburgh Trans Women: a support group aimed at transexual women at any stage of transition, women who are transgender and live as women full-time or part-time or those questioning their gender identity. Please email the group at info@edinburghtranswomen.org.uk before your first visit; this helps with security and allows the group to get ready to meet you. 7.30-9.30pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street.
Bartholomew’s Waltz: a one-night exhibition of visual and sound art collaborations, with decorations, improvised music, devised performances, traditional ceilidh dancing and an ‘opulent feast’. Work by Edinburgh and Glasgow artists including Bryony Rose, Lilian Ptacek, Jessica Whitely, Joanne Dawson, Anna Thomson, Max Syed-Tollen, Kieron Frickleton, Colin Freeth and more. If you would like to contribute to the performances please drop in earlier in the day. 7pm, Bargain Spot, 12 Earl Grey Street. Free but please RSVP via eventbrite here to allow the organisers to plan catering. Bargain Spot is a project space led by artists Lydia Honeybone and Abigail Webster.
Messenger Sound System: The Bongo Club re-opens after its Fringe break with Scotland’s original roots and culture rasta reggae sound system. 11pm-3am, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. £7 (£6 before 12 midnight). The Bongo Club is an independent nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue, ‘putting the sounds of the underground and imaginative aspirations before the mighty dollar’.
What’s The Noise Presents Jack Hinks with Isaac and the Ransel Men, A Modern Masquerade and The Strats. For ages 14+. 6.30-10pm, Cabaret Volatire, Blair Street. Tickets cost £6 and may be purchased via Tickets Scotland here.
