1 An Evening With James Ellroy
1 An Evening With James Ellroy
The Mitchell Library, Glasgow, tonight
Usually a fixture of the spring, Glasgow's book festival Aye Write! makes a one-off November appearance to promote this special event featuring bestselling US crime author James Ellroy, currently this side of the pond to promote ambitious new novel Perfidia. Revisiting the masterfully bleak 1940s Los Angeles noir setting of reputation-cementing prior works including LA Confidential and The Black Dahlia, the new book is the first in five years from the writer dubbed the "Demon Dog" of American crime fiction. Starting at 6pm, tickets are £5. www.ayewrite.com
2 French Film Festival
Across Scotland, from tomorrow
The first of three film-related events this week - anyone would think it's suddenly got much colder and darker - the 22nd year of this Gallic celluloid celebration brings another round of the best flicks from the land of Truffaut, Goddard, Deneuve and Delon to cinemas across Scotland. Starting in Edinburgh and Glasgow this weekend before rolling out to Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness and Kirkcaldy over the next month, included are an eclectic mix of contemporary titles, documentaries, shorts, animation and classics featuring famous and emerging names. www.frenchfilmfestival.org.uk
3 Winter Astronomy Evenings
Various venues across Scotland
One consolation of the shifting seasons is that the coming months provide the best opportunities for stargazing. If observing the night skies through powerful telescopes sounds appealing, weather permitting most of Scotland's observatories are now offering tours, planetarium shows and winter viewing sessions. Among these are Airdrie Observatory (Tuesdays), Paisley's Coats Observatory (Tuesdays and Thursdays), and Mills Observatory, Dundee (Fridays). This weekend, there are also winter astronomy sessions at Edinburgh Royal Observatory (more at http://bit.ly/1x31FFP), and a Remembrance weekend event at Galloway Forest Dark Sky Observatory on Saturday (http://bit.ly/10pkfeC).
4 Close Fest
The Real Mary King's Close, Edinburgh, until Saturday
If you missed out on your share of chills and thrills last weekend, there's still time to catch the last few days of the Mary King's Close Hallowe'en programme. Tonight's event, A Close Encounter With Charles Edward Stuart (£10), brings visitors face to face with Bonnie Prince Charlie. Tomorrow's late night Beneath the Surface tour (£13.50) brings tales from Scotland's past to life, while Saturday's Unsolicited Invitations (£15) uses the warren of underground streets below Edinburgh's City Chambers as the setting for a wartime murder mystery. www.realmarykingsclose.com
5 Inverness Film Festival
Eden Court, Inverness, until Sunday
As well the afore-mentioned Francophone cinema spectacular, Inverness this month hosts its own slightly more modest, but no less ambitious 12th film festival. Screening over the next few days are over 30 films from 21 countries, including Cannes Film Festival prize-winners Winter Sleep (Turkey) Leviathan (Russia) and The Tribe (Ukraine). Among new films showing for the first time in Scotland are Dallas Buyers Club director Jean-Marc Vallée's Wild, starring Reece Witherspoon, and the Imitation Game with Benedict Cumberbatch as wartime codebreaker Alan Turing. www.invernessfilmfestival.com
6 NEoN Digital Arts Festival
Dundee, until Sunday
Scotland's only digital arts festival, featuring exhibitions of work by international artists, along with screenings, talks and workshops inspired by technology. In the spirit of this year's Futureproofing theme, highlights over the coming days include a talk by photographer Murray Ballard, whose work involves documenting cryogenics, and Show Us Your Assets, a symposium exploring art preservation in the technological age. Sunday's closing night party will also see dozens of artworks, short films and moving images projected onto walls, ceilings and floors in the Seabraes Vision Building. www.northeastofnorth.com
7 MoRunning
Edinburgh and Glasgow, Saturday
Glasgow Green and Edinburgh's Holyrood Park host the only two Scottish legs of a series of 14 charity running events taking place across the UK this month. Organised in partnership with men's health charity Movember, men and women of all ages can sign up for either 5K or 10K distances. With the emphasis on friendliness and fun, dressing up is encouraged but everyone will be timed under race conditions so there is also plenty of incentive for more competitive and serious runners. Registration costs £18-£24, but places are apparently filling up quickly. www.mo-running.com
8 Winter Cambolicious
Cambo Estate, Fife, Saturday
Discover a range of Scottish cask conditioned ales, cider and perry, along with locally produced whisky and gin at this family-oriented autumn craft beer festival in rustic north-east Fife. As well as plenty of local food, the event also features live music, a craft fair, a home-brew competition, and games including table-football, a coconut shy, and splat the rat. Among an impressive range of breweries signed up are Williams Brothers, Stewarts, and Harviestoun. Advance tickets are £10, with under 18s free with paying adults. www.cambolicious.com
9 European Outdoor Film Festival
Glasgow and Edinburgh, Friday and Saturday
A vicarious delve into the world of dangerous sports with the first ever Scottish visit of this international event showcasing two hours of the best outdoor and adventure films from around the world. Featuring the exploits of a roster of dare-devils across a range of disciplines, films include action-packed footage of underground caving, cross country skiing, whitewater kayaking, mountain biking, and urban free-climbing. Hitting Glasgow's Mitchell Library at 6.30pm tomorrow and Portobello Town Hall in Edinburgh from 7.30pm on Saturday, tickets are £13. www.eoft.co.uk
10 Dundee Fusion Fest
Maryat Hall, Dundee, Sunday
Warm up for the party season with a day of music and dance of cultures from across the Commonwealth and beyond, including the Indian subcontinent, China and Africa. Between noon and 4pm, there are free demonstrations, workshops and performances from musicians and dancers, including come and try taster sessions introducing Indian, African, and Scottish musical instruments. From 7pm, the event turns into an energetic Asian-themed ceilidh, with music from Polistar and Ricky Lin, Luna Li and Union Reel. Tickets are free, but make sure you book in advance. www.leisureandculturedundee.com/node/2375
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