Your Weekend Starts here

5 THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND

It’s a busy schedule of cultural celebrations across the north and north-east this weekend.

Colourful Chinese New Year festivities are taking place across the region, while excitement is building for Burns Night.

Aberdeen Restaurant Week is also in full swing, meaning there’s lots to keep you well fed while you join in the fun.

CHINESE NEW YEAR

Chinese New Year falls on January 22 and will celebrate the lunisolar calendar moving from the Year of the Tiger to the Year of the Rabbit.

At the Eastgate Centre in Inverness, Yee’s Hung Ga Kung Fu Academy will perform a traditional lion and dragon dance display from 11.30am to mark the occasion.

The Tivoli Theatre in Aberdeen will host its celebrations on Saturday with a Chinese New Year Gala Show at 7pm.

■ Tickets can be purchased at thetivolitheatre.com or by calling 01224 592755.

BRUSH UP ON YOUR POETRY

Burns Night is coming up next week, and it’s the perfect opportunity to brush up on the Bard and read his most famous poetry.

You will find his works in your local library or online at poetryfoundation.org. Even just humming a little Auld Lang Syne will get you in the mood.

If you are based in Aberdeen you could even take a stroll along to Union Terrace Gardens to visit his statue.

ABERDEEN ART GALLERY

If you are already a fan of Aberdeen Art Gallery, you’re going to love this weekend’s free tour offering. Hidden Histories and Shared Stories is an informal tour of the Re-framing the Collection exhibition, followed by refreshments and a discussion. It forms part of the gallery’s work to uncover and share the full history of objects and improve representation of people of colour in its collections.

■ The tour takes place between 2pm and 4pm at Aberdeen Art Gallery on Saturday.

WINTER SKILLS 101

Winter Skills 101 is a two-day course which aims to give women the skills and confidence to continue hillwalking into the winter months.

It is run by Girls on Hills – meeting at Ellis Brigham in Fort William – and includes basic mountaineering techniques, crampons skills and winter navigation.

■ You can book a spot at eventbrite.co.uk

ABERDEEN RESTAURANT WEEK

Nearly 40 restaurants are taking part in this year’s Aberdeen Restaurant Week, each serving up a menu of culinary delights.

These include Foodstory, The Pigs Wings, Namaste Delhi and How Bao Now.

You’ll find everything from Indian, Nepalese and Italian to Spanish, Thai and Scottish food on offer, and even some new tipples to sample alongside.

Participating restaurants are all proposing menus within the promotional value of £10, £15 or £20, with some even offering tasting menus too.

It’s the perfect time to try something new.