Food, films and festivals are dominating the social calendar across the north and north-east this weekend.
Whether you’re looking for a new tasty treat or are in the mood to celebrate local youth talent, here are our top picks to help you make the most of it before Monday comes around again.
It’s also time to start looking ahead to spring if you are keen to get gardening this year.
Food on Film festival
Kingussie’s Food on Film festival brings filmmakers and food producers together to celebrate and explore the world of food, drink, cooking and tasting.
The annual event started on Thursday and runs to Sunday, with films including Sweet Bean and Bottle Shock in the line-up.
Saturday’s programme also boasts a food hall attended by local producers including Isle of Skye Baking Company and Rose Cottage Country Kitchen.
Food on Film will this year be held across a number of locations in the town, with tickets available at Caberfeidh Bookshop.
007 at Mareel
Do you like your weekend entertainment shaken, not stirred?
Lerwick’s Mareel entertainment venue is celebrating all things 007 by showcasing a different Bond each week.
This Sunday’s choice is Timothy Dalton in the 15th Bond film The Living Daylights, showing on Sunday at 2pm.
Released in 1987, the film is the 14th highest grossing Bond film at £21.5 million.
Tickets are available at tickets.shetlandarts.org or by calling 01595 745 500.
UNCON 2023
Youth arts festival UNCON – short for unconventional – is making its way to Inverness.
The festival is an informal youth-led and youth-based event, celebrating young people and their talent across the arts.
Young people can bring examples of their art, like recordings or physical artworks, and take part in discussions and even performances.
The drop-in event is free for all to attend and is being held at Wasps Inverness Creative Academy between 1pm and 8pm on Saturday.
Behind the scenes Castle Fraser
Until the end of the month, Castle Fraser is allowing guests an opportunity to go behind the scenes to lesser seen areas of the castle.
The castle has one of the largest tower houses in Scotland, and the core of the building dates back to around 1450.
You can expect to open cupboards and trap doors, and to discover slightly more quirky stories about the castle’s history.
Tickets for the tour, which runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, can be purchased at eventbrite.co.uk.
Get planting
Spring may feel like it’s millions of miles away, but if you’re hoping to stretch out your green fingers this year then you might want to get moving.
February is a great time to plant fruit trees, bushes, canes and vines.
In terms of vegetables, if you plant potatoes, garlic and shallots around now, you should have a healthy crop later on in the year.
Keep an eye out for pesky slugs, which pose just as much of a threat to your garden now as in the warmer months.
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