Dad's army

Who do you think you are kidding, Mr Hitler? Join the Home Guard at Explosion! The Museum of Naval Firepower, tomorrow, and save Gosport from invasion.

Priddy's Hard, Gosport, Hampshire June 17. 10am - 5.30pm. Adults £5, children £3 (under 5s free), families £13, seniors £4. Tel: 023 9250 5600/ www.explosion.org.uk.

Walk tall

Top-notch stilt walking, juggling, street theatre with walkabout puppets, steel, samba and one-man bands - and that's just some of the street entertainment to mark Mazey Day and the Feast of St John at the Golowan Festival in Penzance. Indoor theatre and other productions run all week, but the climax begins with a huge fireworks display on Friday.

Street events June 23 and 24. Tel: 01736 332211/www.golowan.com. Book ahead for theatre productions on 01736 365520.

Victoria lines

Contemporary verse will be performed on stage at the Midsummer Poetry Festival in London's Victoria Embankment Gardens tomorrow.

Villiers Street WC2. June 17. 2pm - 5pm. Free. Tel: 020-7375 0441.

Childish humour

Kids can draw cartoons and write stories under the guidance of well-known children's authors and illustrators at the Shrewsbury Children's Bookfest next weekend. Those promised to be on hand include Viz cartoonist Steve Donald.

June 23 and 24. Various venues. Booking information: 01743 355159.

Jazz and ale

Bands including the Walsall Jazz Orchestra, the Annie Whitehead Experience and Lindisfarne - and over 30 beers - are on the bill at the Lichfield Real Ale Jazz & Blues Festival next week.

June 21 - 24. Lichfield Rugby Club, Tamworth Road. Adults £3.50 - £30, children £1.75 - £15, seniors/students/unemployed £3 - £28. 01543 262223, www.lichfieldarts.org.uk.

Perth Potter

Beatrix Potter, who regularly visited Perthshire with her family, became friends with local postman Charles Mackintosh because of a shared interest in lichen and fungi. The friendship will be recalled at an exhibition in Dunkeld, starting next week.

Birnam Institute. From June 19. Adults £1, under 12s 50p. 10am - 5pm. Tel: 01350 727674.

Garden blooms

Covent Garden will be blooming next week when the fifth annual flower festival takes place on the Piazza. Floral fashions on the catwalk, world's biggest apple and kiwi fruit. Plants for sale.

Tube: Covent Garden. Wed - Sun, June 20 - 24. 11am - 6pm. Free. Details at www.cgff.co.uk.