AROUND TOWN

It’s all happening in Perth Town Centre this weekend as the Perth Christmas Lights Party & St Andrew’s Day Celebration (Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 December) bring a whole host of festivities to the city, including musical performances from Boney M, N Trance and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, parades, markets, a Santa’s Grotto and more.

Returning for its fourth year, Castle Of Light: Magic And Mystery (until Wednesday 3 January) transforms Edinburgh Castle with its immersive illuminations and awesome installations, ensuring you’re in for an enchanting festive treat.

Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket is the setting for a fabulous Winter Makers Market (Sunday 3 December) from Endless Love Creative. Featuring more than 30 contemporary art, design and craft stalls, it’s ideal for your Christmas shopping.

MUSIC

Jools Holland And His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra (Friday 1 & Saturday 2 December) are dropping by Glasgow’s SEC this weekend for a pair of dates. Expect a fantastic, pre-Christmas knees-up from the legendary piano man and his 20-piece musical cohort.

If you like your pop with a side of silliness then check out Icelandic Eurovision star Daði Freyr (Saturday 2 December) (who came fourth in 2021 and performed a cover of ‘Whole Again’ as an interval act during last year’s show). He’ll be treating you to tracks from his latest release, I Made An Album.

The star of Saturday Night Live and Portlandia Fred Armisen (Sunday 3 December) will be showing us his musical side when he brings his ‘Comedy For Musicians But Everyone Is Welcome’ tour to Edinburgh’s Voodoo Rooms. 

STAGE

Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast (Saturday 2 December) is out on the road for a series of live performances. Richard will be swinging by Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall for a chat with writer Ian Rankin and comedian Marjolein Robertson.

Another popular podcast will be taking the stage for Shagged, Married, Annoyed Live With Chris and Rosie Ramsey (Saturday 2 December) in which the couple will be talking frankly about life, love and a whole lot more at The OVO Hydro, Glasgow.

The Strictly favourites will be dancing up a (snow) storm in Dancing In A Winter Wonderland With Alijaz And Janette (Sunday 3 December) which combines the ultimate yuletide jukebox with spectacular routines in what’s sure to be a Christmas cracker.

SCREEN

The director of Lady Macbeth, William Oldroyd, is behind the blackly comic noir Eileen. It sees a bored prison administrator (brilliantly played by Thomasin McKenzie) obsessing over the facility’s glamorous new counsellor (Anne Hathaway) before trouble starts a-brewing.

Much-loved Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki returns with Fallen Leaves. This typically deadpan dramedy follows two luckless, lonely souls (played by Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen) as they enter tentatively into a romance which offers respite from their grim working lives.

A BAFTA-nominated short becomes a dynamic feature debut in Femme which follows Nathan Stewart-Jarrett’s drag performer as he forms a dangerous liaison with our November cover star George Mackay’s volatile ex-con. Outstanding performances from both actors fuel this nail-biting erotic thriller. 

PODCASTS

In Gangster: The Story Of The Burger Bar Boys the Gangster team turn their attention to the titular gang, whose rivalry with another West Midlands crew caused chaos and who were eventually brought down by their own community. Livvy Haydock presents.

Oprah Winfrey and Arthur C Brooks follow up their bestseller Build The Life You Want with a podcast offering listeners a better understanding of the science behind happiness.

Actress and web series creator Felicia Day (The Guild) is behind comedy sci-fi podcast Third Eye, a fantasy adventure following a not-so-ordinary San Franciscan and her ragtag team, who must take down an all-powerful dark wizard. Sean Astin, Neil Gaiman and more pop up.

VISUAL ART

Kicking off this Friday, the galleries of Edinburgh’s Summerhall Arts Village will play host to FORM: A Season Of Exhibitions By Female Contemporary Sculptors (until Friday 1 November 2024). Featuring work from Emma Hislop, Yumiko Ono, Rowan Walker, Mella Shaw and Camila Ospina Gaitán.

In plenty of time for Christmas, Out Of The Blue Abbeymount Studios in Edinburgh will be hosting an Open Studios Weekend (Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 December), where you can have a peek at the creative spaces and make purchases directly from designers and makers.

The Leith-based Coburg House are also throwing open their doors this weekend for their own Christmas Open Studios (Friday 1 to Sunday 3 December] which will give you access to the work and practices of 50+ creatives and the chance to pick up some Christmas gifts.