Is it going to rain? Is it going to snow? Will we have a heat wave? Who knows? It doesn’t matter – we have plenty of things for you to do, inside and out, this weekend. Have a good one – but please remember to check all details with organisers before setting out.
St Bride’s Family Cinema: see your favourite films for free! Adventure, excitement, fun and laughs – everyone welcome. Juice and choc ices are available to purchase in the interval at 50p each. This week’s film is Bambi (U). Please note that all children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 10.30am-12.30pm (includes interval) Saturday 30th April, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry. Next week’s film is Home (U).
Blooming Marvellous Flower Pots. Spring has arrived! Celebrate by decorating a lovely terracotta pot, planting some seeds and creating some stylish labels so you don’t forget what you’ve sown. With Bragela Hornal. 10.30am-12.30pm, Saturday 30th April, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. £4 per person: advance booking is essential and must be made via the Usher Hall Box Office, Lothian Road, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here. Please note that these sessions are intended for families working together: children cannot be booked into events alone; at least one paying adult must accompany them.
Drop-in Sessions Inspired by the Works of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham: led by printmaker Sarah Gittins, learn about some printmaking techniques and try simple experiments to help in your understanding of the process. 2-4.30pm, Saturday 30th April, Scottish Gallery of Modern Art TWO, Belford Road. Free, no booking required. Also at same times on Sunday 1st May. Supported by The Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Charitable Trust. Image: Summer (Yellow), Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, 1999 − © The Barns-Graham Charitable Trust.
Lunchtime Concert: Alexander Chapman Campbell (piano). 12.15pm, Saturday 30th April, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.
Grove Workshops 2016: a different workshop will take place in the gardens every month from February to September. The workshops are all related to gardening, what we plant and how we can use it. ‘Learn about lots of cool things and mingle with like minded people’. 
This month: Natural Dyes – Batik with Kirsten and Emily. 2-4pm, Saturday 30th April, The Wikihouse, The Grove Community Garden, Fountainbridge. For more information please contact Nim on kibblernim@gmail.com or Susanne on grovefcg@gmail.com. Next month’s workshop will be about the organic control of diseases and pests.
A Family Fundraising Ceilidh with CeilidhKids: dancing, raffle, juice, tea and snacks – all profits going to support Portobello Toddlers’ Hut Refurbishment Project. 2-4pm, Saturday 30th April, Bellfield Street Community Hall, Portobello. Tickets £5 (adult)/£3 (child)/advance purchase family ticket £12, from Portobello Toddler Hut or toddlershutevents@gmail.com.
Vibrations and Patterns: Inspired by Bridget Riley. Join artists Kate Temple and Fraser Gray to explore the dazzling art of Bridget Riley, with practical activities and visual illusions aplenty. 2-4pm (drop-in), Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free, no booking necessary. Image: Bridget Riley, Burn, 1964 © Bridget Riley 2015.
British Art Shows: free discussion-led tours of the British Art Show. Focus and content will change weekly. 2-2.30pm Saturday 30th April, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE (meet at the main entrance), Belford Road. No booking required. Image: Rachel Maclean Feed Me 2015 − courtesy of the artist and Film and Video Umbrella, © Rachel Maclean, 2015.
Masters of Light: 2015 Glass Biennale Winners and Photography. Works in glass by Nicholas Collins, Ashraf Hanna, Harry Morgan and Elliot Walker, and cyanotypes by Alexander Hamilton. 10.30am-5.30pm, (opens) Saturday 30th April then at same times Tuesday-Saturday, Gallery Ten, 10 Stafford Street. Closes 28th May 2016.
Elaine Pagels: Visions of the End: The Book of Revelation in Art, Music, and Politics. Elaine Pagels is the Harrington Spear Paine Professor of Religion at Princeton University, best known for her studies and writing on the Gnostic Gospels. The talk will be followed by an interview with Professor Pagels and a wine reception. 2.30pm, Saturday 30th April, Martin Hall, New College, University of Edinburgh, The Mound. Free, all welcome.
National Gallery Highlight Tours: an introduction to and tour of the National Gallery’s permanent collection, focusing on key paintings. 2-2.45pm or 3-3.45pm, Saturday 30th April, Scottish National Gallery (meet in the main entrance), The Mound. Free and unticketed. Image: Venetian Women at their Toilet Paris Bourdon-1545.
Folk Film Gathering: Tonight’s film is The Selfish Giant (15). 
This contemporary masterpiece of British cinema is one of two films at this year’s Gathering exploring close community ties to horses and harness racing. Developed from documentary work exploring Bradford’s scrap metal trade, 
Clio Barnard’s film portrays the mixed fortunes of Arbor and Swifty, two energetic young boys who become involved in the scrap business. Where Swifty is quiet, gentle and loves horses, Arbor is charismatic, hyperactive and has a keen eye for profit. Will the boys survive their encounter with menacing local scrap dealer Kitten unscathed? The screening will be introduced with tales from a traditional Scottish storyteller. 6.05pm, Saturday 30th April, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.
Cadets’ Beating Retreat: cadets from the Army Cadet Force, Sea Cadet Corps and the Air Training Corps combine in an inspiring evening of military music and a colourful marching display. The evening opens with a performance of Beating Retreat, the traditional military ceremony of Scottish music and pageantry, followed by a military band performance and concluding with the Massed Pipes and Drums. 7pm (please be seated by 6.45pm), Saturday 30th April, Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, Castlehill. Free and unticketed.
SOUND Presents The Rising Souls + Cab Collective. Edinburgh 3-piece The Rising Souls (Dave Archibald [vocals], Tom Reed [percussion and box] and Roy ‘Kelso’ Laing [bass]) has ‘swept through the Central Belt of Scotland leaving no ear unprovoked’. CAB Collective is a four piece rock band exemplifying diversity and versatility;with members hailing from some of the furthest-flung corners of Europe, and formed on the North coast of Scotland, it draws on a vast pool of experience and virtuosic instrumental talent. SOUND is a regular music event promoting mainly Scottish bands/artists and guaranteeing a consistently high quality of music and a friendly atmosphere. For over 18s only. 7pm, Saturday 30th April, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Tickets £10 + booking fee from Tickets Scotland here.
Ayman Jarjour: the internationally renowned Syrian guitarist in a concert fundraiser for Syria. Ayman started learning guitar in Syria before continuing in Madrid and then attended the Juilliard School in New York; he has performed all over the world, from Carnegie Hall to the Edinburgh Fringe. 7.30pm, Saturday 30th April, Carrubers Christian Centre, 65 High Street. Free but please register via eventbrite here. Entry by donation; please come prepared to give generously to SHARE (Syrian Humanitarian Aid Relief Effort) and Operation Mobilisation. For more information please call the centre on 0131 556 2626 or 07774 968124.
Linton Singers: a concert in aid of IWORK4ME, the only Scottish Charity providing specialised support to people with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) (Asperger’s Syndrome or High Functioning Autism) who wish to become self-employed. The Linton Singers will perform Duruflé Requiem and Vivaldi Gloria, conducted by Murray Campbell; organist Jean Arulanantham. 7.30pm, Saturday 30th April, Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate. 
Admission £10; tickets are available from choir members or by emailing secretary@lintonsingers.org.
Prince: Purple Rain (15). Showing as a tribute to the late star, this winner of the last (to date) Academy Award® for Original Song Score, Purple Rain is the very definition of a star vehicle for its lead performer and has deservedly become a strong cult favourite in the years since. Prince stars in the loosely biographical role of The Kid – the prodigiously talented but complicated lead singer of a Minneapolis band who escapes his troubled home life through writing, rehearsing and performing. When a rival (Morris Day) attempts to sabotage his career and turn his girlfriend (Apollonia Kotero) against him, he finds himself mirroring the very things he’s been running away from… ‘Bursting with musical brilliance, melodrama and weirdness, this is a vivid cinematic treat’. 8.45pm, Saturday 30th April, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.
Edinburgh Society of Musicians: Angela Bell (soprano) and Nancy Crook (piano) perform works by Mozart, Duparc, de Falla and Poulenc. 7.30pm, Saturday 30th April, Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Road. Admission free.
Scots Music Group Ceilidh with DaHooley Ceilidh Band: 7.30pm (dancing from 8pm), Saturday 30th April, St Bride’s Community Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry. Tickets £9/£7 in advance, £10 on the door (sta) from SMG on 0131 555 7668 or online here.
Music on a Summer Evening: Ciaran and Katie + special guest Brian McGlynn. Folk music with highlights of country and jazz. 7pm, Saturday 30th April, St Mark’s Church, 287 Portobello High Street. £6 (under 16s free).
Sandra MacBeth At The Skylark. Sandra has sung for The Dalai Lama and opened for acts including Pink and Mumford & Sons; tonight she performs songs from her upcoming EP release Everest. 8pm, Saturday 30th April, The Skylark, 241-243 Portobello High Street. Image: Lorna Thomas.
Three Works for Tape and Instruments by Luigi Nono (1924–1990): a concert of live electronics and sound projection from Italian electronic musician Alvise Vidolin and Irish pianist Mary Dullea. 8pm, Saturday 30th April, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Place. Free admission.
Bhundu Boy Rise Kagona: Zimbabwean Rise Kagona, a guitar hero on two continents, transferred traditional Zimbabwe Jiti rhythms to guitar; his band The Bhundu Boys toured the world extensively. Today his new Jit-Jive band is unique in the world for performing Jiti music. After sell-out Fringe shows last year, 
Rise is back to perform new songs and old favourites.
‘Sunny, intricate guitar lines whose easy sparkle belies formidable technical prowess’ (Scotsman). Sure to make you dance! Plus DJ Astrojazz. 12 midnight-3am, Saturday 30th April, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. Admission £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
ArtSpark Exhibition: ArtSparks is an art club for children from primary school right through to S5; it meets every Friday afternoon and produces some lovely work under the guidance of Alison Tait. Come and see what the youngsters are up to, enjoy a light refreshment and get to speak to the artists. Opening 2-4pm, Sunday 1st May, then 10am-4pm Monday to Saturday, Gallery Café , Penicuik Community Arts, 4 West Street, Penicuik. Ends 4th June 2016.
Sofi’s Dug Day: a great way to socialise your dug while in the comforts of a warm bar. Socialise with other dugs and their owners, and introduce your dug to a pub life! 1pm, Sunday 1st May, Sofi’s Bar, Henderson Street.
Art Maker – May: join the Art Maker Club and make your own masterpieces with artists Tessa Asquith-Lamb and Louise Fraser. For ages 4-12. 2-4pm (drop-in), Sunday 1st May, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free, no booking necessary: supported by the Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland. Image: Andy McGregor.
Filmhouse Junior: films for a younger audience. This week: Oddball and the Penguins (U): a true story about an eccentric chicken farmer (Shane Jacobson) who, with the help of his granddaughter, trains his mischievous dog Oddball to protect a wild penguin sanctuary from fox attacks, and in the process tries to reunite his family and save their seaside town. 11am, Sunday 1st May, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small.
Felted Woodland Panels: join Margaret Findlay and make beautiful bright woodland panels, felting from scratch with wool and taking inspiration from the spring garden. Bring a picnic lunch. 11am-3pm, Sunday 1st May, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. £6 per person: advance booking is essential and must be made via the Usher Hall Box Office, Lothian Road, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here. Please note that these sessions are intended for families working together: children cannot be booked into events alone; at least one paying adult must accompany them.
Picturehouses Vintage Sundays: classic films back on the big screen. Today’s film is The Big Lebowski (18) starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman and Julianne Moore in the Coen Brothers’ characteristically stylish, energetic, crowd-pleasing comedy of mistaken identity and bowling. ‘…crammed with supremely off-the-wall characters, hilarious dialogue, wonderful performances and stunning unforgettable images’. 1pm Sunday 1st May, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.
Mayday, Mayday: Two Twisted Foxes Present Intergalactic. ‘Refresh and Chase your beltain spirit; music jamming, rappers and beats, and crafty dress from space mate’. 3pm Sunday 1st May – 3am Monday 2nd May, Sketchy Beats Café, 208 Great Junction Street. For more details see the event’s Facebook page here.
Folk Film Gathering: tonight’s film is Eden Valley (15): Hoggy’s life is turned upside down when his estranged son Billy arrives needing a place to stay. 
As Billy once again becomes part of Hoggy’s life, their shared fortunes amidst the County Durham trotting community are gradually put to the test. The second of the festival’s films about community ties to horses and harness racing, Eden Valley provides an opportunity to see the essential work of Tyneside’s Amber Collective with the filmmakers themselves. The screening will be introduced with tales from a traditional Scottish storyteller and followed by a Q&A session with Amber members Ellin Hare and Peter Roberts. 5.45pm, Sunday 1st May, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.
Scotland’s Gardens: 101 Greenbank Crescent. The front of the house is on a busy town bus route, but the back of the house is in the country, with views to the Pentland Hills and over the adjoining Braidburn Valley Park.
The garden shows what can be done on a steeply sloped site: paths and steps join a variety of distinct areas and terraces, each with a different character. The aim is to have colour, contrast and interest all year round. Refreshments available. 2-5pm, Sunday 1st May, 101 Greenbank Crescent, EH10 5TA. Admission £4 of which 40% goes to St Columba’s Hospice and the net remaining to SG Beneficiaries.
Scotland’s Gardens: Moray Place and Bank Gardens. Moray Place is a private garden of 3½ acres in the Georgian New Town, with shrubs, trees and beds offering an atmosphere of tranquillity in the city centre. Bank Gardens are nearly 6 acres of secluded wild gardens with lawns, trees and shrubs with banks of bulbs down to the Water of Leith, with stunning vistas across Firth of Forth. Refreshments available. 2-5pm, Sunday 1st May, Moray Place/Doune Terrace. Admission £4 of which 40% goes to The Euan Macdonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research and the net remaining to SG Beneficiaries.
Rockathon 2016: a marathon of great live music in aid of Forth One’s Cash For Kids, a worthy charity helping local children who are disadvantaged for whatever reason and need some support. Line-up includes JJ Gilmour & Band, Break The Butterfly, The Rising Souls, Craig Wilson (guest DJ), Kirsten Adamson, The Rah’s, Benny Monteux and The Bones Brigade and November Lights. 3.30pm till late, Sunday 1st May, Stramash, 207 Cowgate. Tickets £10 from the venue or Tickets Scotland.
St Giles’ at Six: Organ Recital by Jordan English, who will play works by Bach, Pärt, Karg-Elert, Mathias, Purcell and Reger. 6pm, Sunday 1st May, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Admission free; retiring collection.
Glenalmond College: a performance of Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Rutter’s requiem. 7.30pm, Sunday 1st May, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place.
Lights Out By Nine: the well-travelled Fife-based powerhouse Rhythm & Blues 8-piece will feature old favourites, brand new original material, and other writers’ contributions. Performing now for over 25 years, the line-up has four founder members, including the original keyboard player, and their hottest ever horn section. ‘Simply excellent’ (Paul Jones, BBC Radio). 9pm (entry from 8pm), Sunday 1st May, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. Admission £6/£5 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.
