ART

KENDAL Art Society’s Winter Exhibition is appearing at Kendal Library and will run until January 10, 2004.

CONSERVATION expert Allyson McDermott will be giving a talk on the processes involved in the restoration of the wall friezes at Blackwell, The Arts and Crafts House, at Bowness, today (Friday) from 10.30am-4pm. For details call 015394-46139.

TULLIE House Museum, Carlisle, will be exhibiting some of the work of the Northern Potters, all of which will be available for sale. The exhibition opens tomorrow (Saturday) and runs until January 14.

COMEDY

SMUG Roberts, star of Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights, will be appearing with various other comedians at the University of Central Lancashire Students Union, Preston, tonight (Friday). Doors open at 7.30pm. For details call 01772-513200.

CHRISTMAS

SANTA and his reindeer will be in Kendal on Sunday. They will be leading a procession from K Village at 4pm arriving in the town centre at 4.30pm for the big Christmas light turn on at 5.30pm.

CONCERTS

KINGS of swing, The Duncan Macfarlane Big Band, relive the 1930/40s at Kendal United Reformed Church on Sunday. Doors open at 7.30pm. All proceeds will go towards the church hall roof fund.

THE Lakeland Sinfonia series of concerts continues at Kendal Leisure Centre tomorrow (Saturday). The evening will feature two Bach Concertos and Mendlessohn’s Italian Symphony. Doors open at 7.30pm. For more information and tickets call 01539-722533.

THE Kendal Midday Concert Club presents The Ellis Trio, a group of musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music, on Wednesday. Tickets are available on the door. For details call 01539-725768.

ONE of the North East’s leading folk/rock bands, Blyth Power, are playing at the Kirkgate Centre, Cockermouth, tomorrow (Saturday). Doors open at 8pm. For tickets call 01900-826448.

TOP Abba tribute band Bjorn Again are appearing at the Sands Centre, Carlisle, for a night of nostalgic pop music tomorrow (Saturday). Doors open at 7.30pm. For tickets call 01228-625222.

WHOLE Lotta Led will be recreating the sound of one of rock’s greatest bands, Led Zeppelin, at the Whitehaven Civic Hall tomorrow (Saturday). Doors open at 8pm. Tickets are available on the door. For details call 01946-852821.

70S POP sensation, Blondie, will be performing some their chart-topping hits at the Guild Hall, Preston, on Sunday. Doors open at 7.30pm. For tickets call 01772-258858.

THE West Lakeland Orchestra is appearing at The Victory Hall, Broughton-in-Furness, tomorrow (Saturday). The programme includes the Peer Gynt Suite by Grieg. Doors open at 7.30pm and tickets are available on the door.

BILLY J. McGregor and his ten-piece band pay tribute to Rock ‘n Roll legend Elvis Presley at the Lancaster Grand Theatre tomorrow (Saturday). The Elvis Collection begins at 7.30pm. For tickets call 01524-64695.

BRENDAN Shine, one of Irelands best-loved singers, is appearing at The Platform, Morecambe, on Wednesday. Doors open at 7.30pm. For tickets call 01524-582803.

NIRVANA tribute band, Newvana, are appearing at Monroes Bar, Finkle Street, Workington, tomorrow (Saturday). Doors open at 9pm. For details call 01900-602122.

LANCASTER Singers will be holding a St Cecilia’s Day Concert at Lancaster Priory Church on Saturday. The programme will feature works from Britten, Handel and Purcell. Doors open at 8pm. For tickets call 01524-824337.

FAIRS

CROSSCRAKE Church will be holding its popular annual Christmas Fair at Sedgwick Village Hall tomorrow (Saturday). There will be a good selection of stalls selling home produce, bric-a-brac, gifts, toys, books and lots more. Doors open from 2pm-4pm.

FESTIVALS

CELEBRATE Jacobite Day, Lancaster’s annual commemoration of the day the Scots army arrived in 1745 on their mission to elevate Bonnie Prince Charlie to the throne, tomorrow (Saturday). The sound of pipes will be heard in the Market Square from 12pm and there will be guided tours of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Georgian townhouse throughout the day. At 8pm, there will be an evening of Scots and Jacobite music with Isla St Clair and the McCalmans, at the Royal Kings Arms Hotel, Market Street. For details call 01524-32878.

LECTURES

HIGH altitude mountaineer Alan Hinkes will be giving a lecture and a film show at Rheged, near Penrith, on Sunday. He is only two summits away from becoming the first Briton to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000m peaks and is renowned for his entertaining talks. Doors open at 8pm. For tickets call 01768-860-005.

LAKELAND Horticultural Society is hosting a lecture on the renovation of a Gertrude Jekyll garden entitled From Dereliction to Glory, by Rosemary Wallinger, at the Ladyholme Centre, Windermere, tomorrow (Saturday). Doors open at 2.30pm. For details call 015394-46008.

MARKETS

BUY some fine local produce and crafts at a Country Market at Witherslack Village Hall tomorrow (Saturday). Doors open from 9.30am-3.30pm.

SOCIAL EVENINGS

ENJOY a bar meal and a drink with other like-minded people at The Derby Arms, Witherslack, on Sunday evening, with Simply Social, a group for non-smokers in their 30s to 50s. For more information call 07751-485131 or visit www.simplysocial.org.uk SPORTKENDAL RUFC head to play Darlington in National Division 3 North this Saturday, and any supporters wishing to follow England’s fortunes in the Rugby World Cup final can watch the match on the big screen at Kendal Cricket Club, which opens specially from 8.45am.

CLOSER to home, Windermere RUFC host Kirkby Lonsdale at Dawes Meadow for a fascinating derby clash in the Powergen Northern Division’s North Lancs/Cumbria League (2.30pm kick-off). Upper Eden go to BAE Barrow.

KENDAL Town FC face a trip to the east coast to play Bridlington in the UniBond League Division 1, while the Westmorland U18 side meet their Northumberland counterparts at Town’s Parkside ground in the Association of Northern Counties Youth Competition (2pm kick-off).

THEATRE

BRITAINS funniest and sexiest show, The Vagina Monologues, a collection of highly original stories that delve into the secrets and fantasies of women from around the world, opens at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, on Tuesday and runs until Saturday, November 29. Doors open at 7.30pm (Tuesday-Thursday) and 6pm & 9pm (Friday and Saturday). For tickets call 0870-401-3000.

THE Cat’s Eye Company presents a series of four provocative solo plays entitled Kettle of Fish at The Heron Theatre, Beetham, tonight (Friday). Doors open at 7.30pm. For details call 015395-64283.

EXPERIENCE the thrilling adventures of Ulysses at a musical performed by the Junior Section at Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven, tonight (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday). Doors open at 7.30pm. For tickets call 01946-692422.

BOOGIE the night away on a nostalgic trip back to the 1970s with the high-energy, feel good, musical Oh! What a Night starring Kid Creole, at the Preston Guild Hall, on Thursday. Doors open at 7.30pm. For tickets call 01772-258858.

GILBERT and Sullivan’s hit musical The Mikado is given a new twist by the Preston Musical Comedy Society at the Charter Theatre, Preston, on Wednesday. Hot Mikado runs until Saturday, November 29. Doors open at 7.30pm and 2.30pm on Saturday. For tickets call 01772-258858.

THE ENGLISH Touring Theatre brings its vibrant new production of Romeo and Juliet to the Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays, tonight (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday). Doors open at 8pm with a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday. For tickets call 0870-111-2000.

FOSSE, the exhilarating musical starring Claire Sweeney, which recreates highlights from top Broadway shows such as Chicago and Cabaret, is appearing at the Opera House, Manchester, tonight (Friday) until Wednesday. Doors open at 7.30pm with a matinee performance at 2.30pm on Saturday. No performance on Sunday. For tickets call 0870-401-6000.

ULVERSTON Outsiders are staging Tom Stoppard’s witty play The Real Thing about the nature of love at the Coronation Hall, tonight (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday). Doors open at 7.30pm. For more information call 01228-587140.

WALKS

TAKE an eight-mile stroll around the crags, lakes and caves near Ambleside on a Lake District National Park Authority guided walk tomorrow (Saturday). The leader will also be telling some historic tales of old Lakeland. Meet at Ambleside Market Cross Information Centre at 10.30am. For details call 015394-46601.

MEET people and get fit on a week-long series of short walks along the River Kent beginning today (Friday). The walks are part of the Walking the Way to Health initiative, a scheme that aims to improve the fitness of people who find it hard to exercise through a programme of short walks led by trained leaders. Meet daily at the Market Place at 2pm. For more information call 01539-790109

WILDLIFEOBSERVE a spectacular natural wonder, on Sunday, as thousands of starlings descend to roost on the reed beds at the RSPB Leighton Moss Nature Reserve. A warden will also be on hand to impart some expert knowledge. Meet at the reserve at 3pm. For details call 01524-701601.