Brain power
A retractable footbridge links visitors to The Big Idea, the world's first inventor centre, where such boffins as Fleming, Baird and McAdam are waiting.
• Open daily 10am-6pm. £7/£5, family £16/£20/£24. Irvine, nr Troon, Ayrshire (0870 840 4030).
Busy, busy, busy...
Costume-making, clay-sculpture, circus and theatre shows are all free to under-16s at Bolsover Castle Children's Festival.
• Sun, 11am-5pm; adults £4.50. Bolsover, nr Chesterfield, Derbyshire (01246 822844).
Go green
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is the place to begin mentally re-designing your garden.
• July 6-9, 10am-7.30pm (Sun 5.30). £19 or £10 from 3pm. Children 5-15 £5, under 5s free. East Molesey, Surrey (0870 9063791).
Summer fests on
The Cookson Country Festival begins today with a street procession from South Shields town hall to the seafront summer fair. Tomorrow's Tribute Show in Bents Park features Oasisn't, The Vengi Boys and Spiceish Girls.
• Until Aug 6. Procession 1.30pm. Tribute Show 2pm-46.30pm. All free. 0191-424 7985.
Kitchen bygones
Food historian Ivan Day explains a Heath Robinson-ish array of ancient cooking apparatus in Kenwood House, north London.
• The Eat, Drink and Be Merry exhibition runs until September 24. Sunday, demonstrations 2pm and 4pm. Kenwood House, Hampstead, London NW3 (020-8348 1286).
Eat your heart out
The Food & Drink Fair at Wrest Park Gardens has demos, wine tastings and organic produce.
• Sat/Sun, 10am-5pm. £4/£2.50. Wrest Park Gardens, Silsoe, Bedfordshire (01525 860152).
Having a boule
Derek Fowlds and Miles Kington head the celebrity teams bowling and rolling against locals in the 10th Bath Boules tournament. French food and wine available.
• July 1 and 2, 10.30am-dusk both days. Free. Queen Square, Bath, Avon.
Hot air
Get a new perspective on Leeds Castle and the Kent countryside from the castle's own hot-air balloon, launched today.
• Weekend champagne flight £150pp, midweek £135 (Airborne Balloons 01732 462179). Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent (01622 765400).
Steam dreams
The Cathedrals Express, the first regular steam-hauled train from London for 33 years, is running to Canterbury and Salisbury every Wednesday until Sept 20.
• Return tickets: premier dining £129, 1st non-dining £90; standard return £39.50. Luxury picnic hampers £45 for two. Steam Dreams (01483 209888).
