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5 things to do this weekend: Highland Shortbread Showdown, Cromarty Film Festival and Nuart tours

There is plenty going on across the north and north-east this weekend, so here is our guide to some of the highlights.

Cromarty Film Festival is returning this weekend.
Cromarty Film Festival is returning this weekend.

We challenge you to find the best of the fest this weekend, with a number of festivals taking place across the north and north-east.

Whether you’re a film buff or keen to stretch your legs and dust off the cobwebs, you’re sure to be in for a treat.

Also, make sure you don’t forget the clocks spring forward overnight on Saturday.

Cromarty Film Festival

The Highland town of Cromarty is hosting its annual film festival this weekend.

Between 1pm on Friday and 9pm on Sunday, the town will be a hub for film lovers, with short sequences projected on to the lighthouse and harbour walls and full length features shown in the local cinema and a travelling one that will be parked up.

For the first time in 16 years, Cromarty Film Festival has been organised by a fully female team.

Find the full festival programme and book your tickets on the Cromarty Film Festival website.

Strathglass and Glenurquhart Heritage Festival

Corrimony Chambered Cairn features in some of the walks. Image: Sandy McCook / DC Thomson.

This weekend marks the first ever Strathglass and Glenurquhart Heritage Festival.

Taking place between Friday and Monday, it aims to encourage people to engage with the history of the area while getting outdoors and enjoying nature.

Members of Strathglass Heritage Association and Glenurquhart Heritage Groups will host talks and lead walks around the area, with a varied programme of activities to choose from.

It is hoped the event will become an annual occurrence, so make sure you secure your place at the first festival.

Nuart tour

Slim Safont created this for Nuart in 2022. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson.

It was announced this week that Nuart Aberdeen is to return to the city in June, so in the meantime, why not get stuck into some of the existing artworks in the city?

Nuart’s expert street art tour guides will take you around the streets of Aberdeen, talking you through the large-scale work and pointing out the small-scale artworks you might not even have noticed before.

Book your free tour this Sunday.

Put a spring in your step

Snowdrops have been popping up for spring. Image: Kim Cessford / DC Thomson.

Despite the recent cold spell, the clocks springing forward this weekend officially marks the return of spring and, more excitingly, of longer days.

Natural light has already started appearing before alarm clocks sound, and if that’s not enough to get you excited we don’t know what is.

Now is the perfect time to give your home a little spring clean, swap out heavy duvets for lighter ones, pop the Christmas mugs up on the top shelf and give the grit-filled doormat a good shaking out.

Highland Shortbread Showdown

🍪 IT'S NEARLY TIME 🤩 to find out who is the Highland Shortbread Showdown winner 🏆 Are you coming along? 🙋‍♂️ Finalists…

Posted by Visit Inverness Loch Ness on Friday, 17 March 2023

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the reveal of who truly has the best shortbread in the Highlands.

Talented chefs from restaurants, cafes and hotels across the region battled it out in heats last month, each putting forward their best shortbread to be tested by sweet-toothed members of the public.

The final will be held on Saturday at Inverness Cathedral between 1pm and 3pm, with the likes of The Speyside Centre, Atholl House and Downright Gabbler taking to the oven.

Who will take home the crumbly crown?

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