Blas Festival: 3 September to 11 September 2010

A warm welcome awaits you in the Highlands for the 2010 Blas Festival.

Blas is the Gaelic word for 'taste' and the 2010 festival promises an authentic flavour of Highland culture. Blas boasts a vast programme of traditional music and events, staged in some of Scotland's most spectacular and iconic landscapes.

The Blas Festival, which celebrates Highland culture and Gaelic, is to mark the launch of its 2010 programme by being ‘inducted’ into the Highland Archive and Registration Centre.

The festival will include school and community events along with shows on board the Jacobite Queen, at The Culloden Battlefield Centre, Eilean Donan Castle, Eden Court Theatre, and Inverness Museum and Art Gallery. There will also be gigs in village halls and other special venues right across the Highlands, including the big "Hangar2" dance at Inverness Airport with Shooglenifty, Skerryvore and Niteworks.

Scotland's Doors Open Days : Sept. 2010

Every weekend in September you can explore places that are normally closed to the public. Some open up once a year, some just once in a lifetime...

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the doors of buildings you see every day?

Then Doors Open Days is your chance to find out. A series of events on each weekend in September giving free access to some of Scotland's most historic and extraordinary places, many of which are not usually open to the public.

This is the 20th anniversary of Doors Open Days, and the first events took place in Glasgow and Ayr in 1990 where it formed part of the European City of Culture celebrations. The success of the event encouraged other areas to participate the following year and has now grown to cover 32 of 32 local authority areas in Scotland.

More than 800 buildings are expected to open, generating over 200,000 visits to sites and hidden architectural gems of all kinds in locations throughout Scotland.

The event brings together people from all walks of life in celebration of the fascinating architecture that surrounds us and the stories that these buildings can tell. Last year over 4000 volunteers gave their time to run tours, steward sites and activities.

Mark your calendar and plan to attend this extraordinary event!

Arbroath Sea Fest: 21 – 22 August 2010

Arbroath Sea Fest is an annual festival of the Sea held along Arbroath's seafront and centring around the town's charming harbour and new marina.

Established in 1997, Arbroath Sea Fest is a popular celebration of Arbroath's marvellous maritime heritage, attracting over 30,000 visitors over its two-day duration in August each year.

The star of the show is undoubtedly the Arbroath Smokie - haddock smoked over hardwood - but past years have also seen trout specialities, suckling pig, venison and ostrich meat, available from the Smokie Trail, comprising 70-odd stalls along the harbour.

For those who enjoy a bit of retail therapy there is a wide range of stalls selling everything from fresh seafood to handmade jewellery, crafts and confectionery.

There will also be the regular Sea fest features of traditionally smoked fish, traditional crafts, The Reaper, fishing displays, modern and traditional music, and a medieval village with traditional craft making, cookery and battle fighting.

Piping Live! : 9 August to 17 August 2010

Piping Live is a week long celebration of piping culture with everything from traditional Piobaireachd to contemporary bands all lined up to represent the international world of Piping between 9th – 15th August 2010.

Now in its 7th year there are over 150 events including free pipe band displays in George Square, Festival Club, the Family Fun Day, Street Café, Pipe Idol and a spectacular array of Evening Concerts including Capercaillie and Friends on Friday 13th and the amazing After Worlds Shindig on Saturday 15th. The week culminates in the World Pipe Band Championships on Saturday 14th on Glasgow Green with more than 200 pipe bands.

So if you love piping, or are completely new to the pipes there is something for everyone at Piping Live! 2010

Tartan Heart Festival: 6 August to 7 August 2010

In its 7th year, The Tartan Heart Festival is a music festival held on the Belladrum Estate near Inverness. Its normally held at the start of August. Founded in 2004, the festival has rapidly grown in popularity.

The festival is well known for its wide ranging musical scope, as well as its family friendly atmospherewith a large dedicated family camp-site, as well as free entry for children under the age of 12.

This eclectic music festival offers a multitude of venues from Burlesque & Buddhists; Champagne & Sheep; Comics & Circus Tricks; Dance & Debate; Organic Food & Ale; Workshops & Writers; Markets & Mountain Bikers; Healers & Headphone Disco; to a Kaleidoscope of Kids’ Stuff.

Some this year’s musicians are Amy MacDonald; Feeder; The Levellers; The Wailers and many more.

Turriff Show 2010: 1 August to 2 August

Turriff Show, organised by Turriff District Agricultural Association, is a two-day event, held on the Sunday, Monday before the first Tuesday in August.

Turriff Show is the largest annual event to be held in Aberdeenshire and is the largest two-day Show in Scotland. The Show is now regarded as the main shop window for the promotion of agriculture and the food industry in the north east of Scotland.

There are also a multitude of activites that the whole family will be interested in such as the popular Food Fayre, Indoor Shopping Mall, Musical Entertainment, Highland Dancing, Craft Fair, and Children’s activities.

Come have a great day out with the family at the Turriff Show!