AROUND TOWN

Sample the best in the world of spirits at the brand new Drinkmonger Spirits Festival (Friday 22 & Saturday 23 March) which is at Edinburgh’s Mansfield Traquair this weekend. More than 100 products will be available to try, with cocktail demonstrations taking place too.

Glasgow’s Burrell Collection and Pollok Country Park have a day of family fun planned in celebration of the Persian New Year (Saturday 23 March). Expect tours, performances, workshops, art installations, storytelling and crafts.

Over in Dundee, there’ll be stimulating discussions aplenty when the Scotonomics: Festival Of Economics (Friday 22 – Sunday 24 March) brings together activists, academics, economists, policymakers, politicians and the public to chat about the state of the Scottish, UK and global economies.

MUSIC

Citing The Weeknd, The xx and Lauryn Hill as influences, Emotional Oranges (Sunday 24 March) are an R&B / pop duo from Los Angeles, whose single ‘Motion’ you might recognise from RuPaul’s Drag Race. See what they’re up to now at Glasgow’s SWG3.

Celebrate the life and music of a Perthshire fiddle legend with The Niel Gow Festival (Friday 22 – Sunday 24 March). Hosted by Birnam Arts in Dunkeld, it combines concerts from acclaimed musicians with workshops, sessions, and more.

The American-born K-Pop star Eric Nam (Friday 22 March) has amassed more than a billion streams on Spotify alone. He’ll be delighting fans at Glasgow’s O2 Academy with songs from his three studio albums.

STAGE

If you’re looking for some laughs, then Taskmaster winner and The Traitors: Uncloaked presenter Ed Gamble (Sunday 24 March) will be bringing the ‘bracing idiocy’ of his new stand-up show, Hot Diggity Dog, to Glasgow’s King’s Theatre.

Another stand-up star who is swinging by Scotland this weekend is Adam Rowe (Saturday 23 March). The star of podcast Have a Word, and Live at the Apollo regular is on the road with his new show, What’s Wrong with Me? It’s a hilarious insight into the mind and body of this fast-rising comedian. Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall plays host.

In an Accident / a Life (Friday 22 & Saturday 23 March) Marc Brew and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui tackle some weighty subjects with and without words, using storytelling, film, music, dance and a car. Catch it at Glasgow’s Tramway.

SCREEN

Following on from the success of 2021’s Afterlife, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire returns the action to New York in this fun follow-up. In their battle against an ancient evil, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd and Mckenna Grace once again join forces with the original ghostbusting team, including Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd.

American high society is under the microscope in Apple TV+’s period comedy series Palm Royale. It unites a fabulous cast featuring the likes of Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern and Allison Janney for some glossily shot and soapy shenanigans.

Scotland meets Catalonia in the Catalan Film Festival (until Sunday 14 April). It showcases eight features and 11 shorts from one of Europe’s filmmaking powerhouses at venues across Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee.

PODCASTS

Returning for a second season this week is Educating Daisy, where the delightfully frank Daisy May Cooper is joined by celebrity friends including Rylan Clark, Greg Davies and Kerry Godliman, who’ll be introducing this reluctant reader to their favourite books.

In 53 Minutes Josh Widdicombe and Dara Ó Briain dig into the mystery of Ali Dia, a mediocre footballer who somehow managed to end up playing minutes in the Premier League in 1996.

Miss Me? reunites best friends Miquita Oliver and Lily Allen for twice-weekly transatlantic catch-ups, where they’ll discuss their own lives, what’s going on culturally each week, and be answering some of your listener questions.

VISUAL ART

Kicking off at Edinburgh’s Scottish Storytelling Centre this weekend is Word Of Mouth (Friday 22 March – Saturday 20 April). This exhibition of artworks and writing explores our relationship to food, cooking and kitchens, and features print, textiles, collage and paintings.

Meanwhile, over at Edinburgh’s Open Eye Gallery there’s Charles Simpson: Back To The Eye (until Saturday 30 March). It brings together work from the graphic designer turned painter, whose studio looks out onto the striking landscape of the Scottish borders, providing him with a wealth of inspiration for his work.

And finally, Your Art World (until Sunday 14 April) at the National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh, has been helping young people discover a new world of creative possibilities. Children’s artwork can be viewed online and digitally within the gallery, alongside a selection of physical work, while an interactive zone allows visitors to get creative themselves.