What's On Scotland 30 Jun-7 Jul: Edinburgh Pride

Each week The Skinny team hand pick a selection of events from the Scottish cultural calendar to provide you with this guide to the most exciting goings on in the week ahead. From gigs, plays and exhibitions to spoken word and pop up cake shops, we give you the insider's guide to things to do in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee every Thursday morning.

1. Edinburgh Pride
Various venues across Edinburgh. 2 Jul, all day

It's Pride time. Edinburgh's celebrations take place this Saturday with a Pride Scotia March assembling outside the City Chambers from 1pm; a health and community fair at the Omni Centre; a trans engagement space at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel on Picardy Place and Order of Perpetual Indulgence's annual Tea Dance at Chalky's. Many performers due to appear at the cancelled Main Stage (including Ru Paul’s Drag Race's Morgan McMichaels, no less) have relocated their shows to venues across the city. Image: Esparta Palma

2. Edinburgh International Magic Festival
Various venues across Edinburgh. 1-8 Jul, times vary

When was the last time you saw some actually impressive magic? Not recently enough, we'll bet. Luckily, that's something you can address via Edinburgh International Magic Festival which rolls into town on 1 Jul and sticks around until its fantastic finale gala on 8 Jul at Festival Theatre. More illusions, trickery and more recently-disappeared rabbits than you can shake a wand at.

3. Southside Film Festival: Wee Green Cinema
Pollockshields Playhouse, Glasgow. 2-3 Jul, times vary

What with the entire world seemingly going to shit, it's difficult to indulge in a bit of entertainment without feeling guilty about something. Enter Southside Film Fest's Wee Green Cinema, a solar and bicycle-powered film tent. All screenings are free and unticketed, and the programme's a mixture of fiction, documentaries, animation and shorts about all things green, environmental and sustainable. You should most definitely see Wadjda (pictured), the first full-length feature film shot in Saudia Arabia and directed by a Saudi Arabian woman. Guilt-free fun for all the fam.

4. Incept Summer Special
SWG3, Glasgow. 2 Jul, 3pm-2am

Get stuck into an 11-hour party marathon split across SWG3, featuring Dense & Pika, Theo Kottis and Lindsay Green & Kendal Baird by day on the terrace, and sets from Fraser Stuart, Nick McPheat and the internationally acclaimed Nicole Moudaber in the Warehouse by night. Your Sunday hangover's sorted too – just smugly whimper about 'yesterday's marathon' from your bed and the world will leave you to it. Hopefully.

ADVERTISEMENT | Glasgow Mela
Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow. 17 Jul, 12-8pm, free

Glasgow Mela – Scotland's biggest free multicultural festival – is back on Sun 17 Jul at their fabulous home in the West End's beautiful Kelvingrove Park. The festival will be bursting with live music and theatre performances, exotic and mouth-watering foods from around the globe and fun for all ages. Shop for unique gifts and dazzling clothes in the marketplace before chilling out in the summer sun to the sounds of the world. Music, dance and performance – they've got your Sunday sorted. Check out glasgowmela.com for more info.

5. The Dirty Three
The Dissection Room, Summerhall, Edinburgh. 5 Jul, 8pm

Tonight’s your chance to catch instrumental trio The Dirty Three at Summerhall’s Nothing Ever Happens Here programme. Their songs are sometimes melodic and rhythmic, sometimes freeform, but to quote our Editoral Assistant, also ‘blissfully illustrative of landscapes you've never seen’. He’s also of the opinion that they ‘sound like how deserts look’ (which sounds like it’s a good thing).

6. Gilded Balloon Comedy Nights
The Studio at Festival Theatre, Edinburgh. 2 Jul, 8pm

Is laughter the best medicine? Can it cure our collective mortal fear that we're sliding into political dystopia? We can't answer these questions, but perhaps you can if you head along to Gilded Balloon's Comedy Nights show at Festival Theatre's Studio this week. The Boy With Tape On His Face, Bec Hill, Robin Grainger and Scottish Comedian of the Year finalist Ray Bradshaw will all be there, cracking funnies to help take you to your happy place. Wherever that is.

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7. Neu! Reekie!'s Summer Squeeze
Prilig St Paul's Church, Edinburgh. 2 Jul, 7.30pm

Mosey on down to Leith's lovely Pilrig Church Hall this Saturday and imbibe more than your fair share of summertime entertainment courtesy of the Neu! Reekie! gang. Our May cover star LAW (aka the achingly cool Lauren Holt) will be in attendance, along with Rebecca Perry, Alan Bissett, Kevin Williamson and bunches more besides. Image: Kat Gollock

8. Derren Brown: Miracle
King's Theatre, Glasgow. 4-9 Jul, 7.30pm

Derren Brown hasn't become shit yet – isn't that wonderful? Whether he's just an extremely talented showman, or has actually brainwashed us all into unconditionally supporting his tours, he's still going strong. In fact, his new show Miracle has received some pretty hearty applause, critics-wise – so get yourself down to King's and check it out for yourself. Image: Seamus Ryan

9. Kelburn Garden Party
Kelburn Castle, Kelburn, 1-4 Jul, £25-114

Sparklingly batshit festival Kelburn Garden Party returns to the glen this year with yet another scintillating programme. In classic Kelburn style, there's a truly eclectic music line-up featuring everyone from Haitus Kaiyote to Trembling Bells, Admiral Fallow to Denis Sulta, alongside live theatre, art installations, waterfall plunge pools, cruises and family attractions. Image: Vito Andreoni

10. Scottish Real Ale Festival
Corn Exchange, Edinburgh. 7-9 Jul 12-10.30pm

If access to 170 real ales all under one roof (or outdoors, weather-permitting), cider and perry from across the Scottish spectrum and a roster of folk and pipe music sounds like your kinda thing, you're in luck. The Real Ale Festival returns to the 'Burgh between 7-9 Jul for another year of bubbly, brewing-based banter. Cheers to that. Image: Sarah Bissell

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