AROUND TOWN

Launching this weekend at Edinburgh Castle is Castle Of Light: Fire And Ice (Friday 21 November – Sunday 4 January) the UK’s largest annual projection show which illuminates the castle in spectacular style with colourful, immersive and interactive displays.

Perth will be ramping up the festive fever with its Christmas Lights Switch-On Weekend (Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 November). TV’s Stephen Mulhern hosts, while the main stage is headlined by chart-toppers Cascada. Also featuring Santa and the Cairngorm Reindeer, a festive market, light trail, kids entertainment, a fair and more.

Celebrating its 10th year, Fizz Feast (Friday 21 – Saturday 22 November) pairs sparkling wines from all over the world with fabulous food from artisan producers. Taking place at Edinburgh Academy, it offers tastings aplenty, talks and masterclasses.

MUSIC

Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket is the setting for a gig from contemporary blues man Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram (Friday 21 November), an acclaimed guitarist-singer from Mississippi who will be treating attendees to tracks from his latest record, the recently released Hard Road, and more.

Provocative American rapper Cupcakke (Sunday 23 November) will be swinging by Edinburgh’s La Belle Angele this weekend in support of her sixth studio album, The Bakkery.

Scottish folk favourites Admiral Fallow (Friday 21 November) have opened for the likes of Snow Patrol, Paolo Nutini and The Proclaimers. Led by Louis Abbott, they also have a new album to promote, First Of The Birds. Check them out at Glasgow’s Queen Margaret Union this weekend.

STAGE

Heading to Glasgow for the very first time, theatrical phenomenon Hamilton (until Saturday 27 December) is the winner of 11 Tony Awards and seven Olivier Awards. Fusing musical styles and taking a fresh approach to US history, it tells the story of one of the country’s founding fathers. Catch it at the Theatre Royal.

Over at Edinburgh’s Monkey Barrel Comedy, Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer 2023 Urooj Ashfaq (Sunday 23 November) will be following up her debut, Oh No!, with How To Be A Baddie, in which she goes from relatable good girl to bad girl and edgelord.

If you’ve got that festive feeling already and are looking for something family friendly then King’s Theatre Glasgow are kicking off panto season with The Little Mermaid (Saturday 22 November – Sunday 4 January) this weekend, with their sparkling, seasonal take on this under-the-sea story featuring Elaine C Smith and Johnny Mac.

SCREEN

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are sensational in Wicked: For Good the sequel to last year’s smash-hit film. There’s more killer than filler this time round as it wraps up the story in style, a few narrative quibbles aside.

From fantasy to something a lot more down to Earth, Edinburgh’s Cameo Picturehouse will be screening inspiring documentary Iron Ladies (Friday 21 November) with a Q&A in celebration of the incredible, community spirited women who supported the 1984/85 Miners’ Strike.

Part of its Too Much: Melodrama On Film season, Glasgow Film Theatre will be screening Pedro Almodóvar’s black comedy classic Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown (Sunday 23 November), starring Carmen Maura and Antonio Banderas.

PODCASTS

Allison After NXIVM tells the strange, sad and pretty sinister story of former Smallville actress Allison Mack, who was a member of the titular sex-trafficking cult and served time in prison for the part she played in their crimes.

If you’re struggling to keep up with what’s going on in the world of news, politics, sport and entertainment then Cheat Sheet With Ridge & Frost offers bite-sized episodes featuring Sky’s Sophy Ridge and Wilf Frost that’ll help you get up to speed.

BBC Sounds’ Gangster presents its latest look at real-life stories of gang bosses and kingpins in Sex, Drugs & Cell Block Parties which looks at the UK’s biggest prison smuggling plot and the love story at the centre of it.

VISUAL ARTS

Edinburgh’s Out Of The Blue Drill Hall will be hosting the HelloArt Christmas Market (Saturday 22 November), where you can buy artwork and handmade crafts while tucking into some delicious festive food and treats, and getting hands-on with some creative activities.

Opening this weekend at City Art Centre, Edinburgh is Michael Fullerton (Saturday 22 November – Sunday 1 March), an exhibition from the Glaswegian painter, printmaker and sculptor which combines new paintings with a survey of more than 20 years of Fullerton’s printmaking practice.

Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer (until Sunday 19 April) at Edinburgh’s Portrait Gallery gives you the opportunity to take to the skies with an artistic trailblazer who went to extraordinary, sometimes death-defying lengths to capture the perfect image.

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