Axe magic
Nils Lofgren, Jan Akkerman and The Christians are booked to appear next week at the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain in the Wirral. Music will include jazz, rock, blues, country, folk and classical.
Birkenhead: Various venues, including the Victorian Town Hall and Floral Pavilion Theatre. November 16-25. Concerts start at 7.30pm or 8pm depending on location. Prices £9-£14. 0151-666 5023, bestguitarfest.com.
Turning again
Twenty marching bands, 200 horses, 18 carriages, the ornate State Coach, 56 floats and some 6,000 participants. Today's Lord Mayor's Show in London also includes a flypast and closing fireworks on the Thames.
Procession leaves Guildhall at 11.05am.Lord Mayor arrives at Royal Courts of Justice 12.25pm. Return procession departs 1.25pm. Fireworks start 5pm. Watch from Victoria Embankment, Blackfriars or Waterloo bridges. Free. Details of routes etc at lordmayorsshow.org.
Because it's there
Armchair mountaineers, hill walkers and serious climbers should head for the Kendal Mountain Film Festival in Cumbria next week. Nearly 50 adventure films will be screened. Plus lectures by the likes of climber Doug Scott.
Brewery Arts Centre and Kendal Leisure Centre. November 16-18. From £5. 01539 725760/01539 725133, mountainfilm.co.uk.
Lively read
Penelope Lively, Douglas Hurd and Edna Healey are among the authors billed to speak at the Southwold Literary Weekend in Suffolk.
Various venues. November 16-18. Most talks £7, all day Saturday £30. 01803 867373, wayswithwords.co.uk.
Floating worlds
Those who have read Memoirs of a Geisha might head for Blackburn, where an exhibition of kimonos from six Japanese collections opens today. Experts will demonstrate how they are worn.
Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery. Until February 23. Tuesday- Saturday, 10am-4.45pm. Free.
Wet weekend
Around 60 real ales will be on offer at the Mid Wales Beer Festival, which opens on Friday. The closing weekend sees an opportunity to take a "real ale ramble" in the surrounding countryside, with a glass at every checkpoint. Plus entertainment including a male-voice concert on November 20.
Various pubs in Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys. November 16 -25. Rambles (November 24 and 25) cost £7 for one or both days including beer. 01591 610666, llanwrtyd-wells.powys.org.uk.
Across the board
Expect tricks such as backside 7s and switch rodeo 720s at the Board X Snowboard Festival in London. Boarders will recognise the jargon. If they get in early, the uninitiated can have a go on a real snow slope.
Battersea Park. November 9-11,noon-7pm Friday, 10am-8pm Saturday/ Sunday. £6 Friday, £10 Saturday/Sunday. 0870 902 0444, board-x.com.
