Hooray for half-term holidays! St Andrews is a fantastic place to spend school vacations with your family; there’s so much to do in this compact town. For more information on the activities available all year around, check out our Kids section.

However, this half-term there are also plenty of special events taking place in St Andrews and the East of Fife for you and your family to enjoy. Here’s our pick:

Temporary Exhibitions:

St Andrews Museum – ‘Fife Heroes: Pride of Place’ – heroes who appeal to young and old today and whose contribution continues to influence our lives. Be amazed at the wealth of Fife talent – artists, scientists, leaders, writers, explorers, performers and many others. Part of Celebrating Fife 2010. Museum open 10am – 5pm daily on Doubledykes Road. Admission free. More information.

St Andrews Preservation Trust – ‘Step into the Roaring Twenties: Discover St Andrews in the 1920s’ – explore what life was like in St Andrews ninety years ago. Museum open 2pm – 5pm daily. Admission free. More information.

Friday 28th May:

Theatre – ‘The Open’, play by AB Paterson (founder of the Byre Theatre) – a celebration of the game of golf and of a bygone age. The Byre Theatre, 7.30pm. Tickets cost £9 (£8) – for more information visit www.byretheatre.com or phone 01334 475000.

Music – ‘Music for a Summer’s Evening’ – St Andrews University Madrigal Group presents a programme of Renaissance madrigals, romantic part-songs and folk song arrangements. St Salvator’s Chapel, 7.30pm. Admission free (retiring collection).

Saturday 29th May:

Sport – ‘Try Sailing’ – free sailing taster session at St Andrews Sailing Club. Woodburn Place (by East Sands). More information, or phone 01334 478530.

Family fun – ‘Scottish Fisheries Museum Open Day’ one-off free entry to the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther, with activities, stalls, and a Fisher lad & lass ceremony. Open 10am – 5.30pm. Admission free. More information.

Tuesday 1st June:

Music – ‘Lunchtime Medieval Harp Recital’ – Simon Chadwock plays historic Scottish music on the replica Queen Mary harp. St Andrews Cathedral, 12.45pm. Admission free but ticketed – collect tickets from the visitor centre in the Cathedral grounds. More information.

Books – ‘Shirley McKay and her Hew Cullan Mysteries’ – local author talks about her first mystery novel, set in St Andrews, and about the later stories in the series. St Andrews Public Library, 7.30pm. Admission £2.50. More information.

Friday 4th June

Auction – ‘Auction of Collectibles’ organised by Crail Preservation Society, bid for quality collectables such as ceramics, paintings, glass, memorabilia, collectable dolls and toys. All money raised from the auction will help to fund Crail’s hanging baskets. Admissions free, but donations welcome. Free on- and off-site parking available. The Community Hall, St Andrews Road, Crail, KY10 3UH. For more information contact david@thejerdangallery.com, or phone 01333 450797.

Friday 4th – Sunday 6th June

Arts – ‘Culross Festival’ - growing in popularity, this year’s music & arts festival includes folk music from Eddie Reader and 2 open air operas Carmen & Cosi van Tutte) in the unique grounds of Abbey House. More information.

Saturday 5th June

Family fun – ‘Cupar Gala Day’ - fun day out for all the family with shows, stalls and entertainment for all. Cupar Children’s Gala is a firm fixture in the local calendar and each year the Committee endeavours to bring something new and exciting to the event.  This year, a number of individuals and groups from across Fife take part in music and dance events as well as other cultural traditions. Parade leaves Bonnygate Car Park at 11.00am, with festivities starting in the Duffus Park at 12pm. Admission free. More information.

Local produce – ‘St Andrews Farmers’ Market’ -Arbroath smokies, bacon, baking, beef, buffalo, cheese, eggs, fruit drinks & wine, herbal remedies, jewellery, lamb, pork, poultry, soap, vegetables, venison, and more! Car Park, Argyle Street, 9am – 1pm. Admission free. More information.

Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th June

Arts – ‘East Neuk Open Studios’ – visit the studios and workplaces of artists based in the East Neuk of Fife and see work-in-progress and finished works of art possibly for sale. Displays include painting, ceramics, prints, illustrations, weavings, and jewellery. Venues throughout the East Neuk. Admission free. More information.

Sunday 6th June

Scottish Culture – ‘Markinch Highland Games’ – featuring the oldest Pipe Band competition in the country, and many other traditional and modern sporting competitions. Fun Fair. John Dixon Park (Markinch), 12.30pm. Admission: £5 for adults, £2 concessions, £12 Family Ticket. More information.

Monday 7th June

Art – ‘Art Classes for Young People’ - working with local artist Sandra Davies, all children/young people aged 8+ are welcome. Two sessions; 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-4pm. Admission: £3 (includes all materials and refreshments). Booking essential – info@centreforstewardship.org.uk or 01337 858838. More information.

Photography – ‘An Illustrated talk on Erskine Beveridge’ – given by Lesley Ferguson, and organised by the Crail Museum Trust, this talk complements the exhibition of 19th century photography by Erskine Beveridge currently on display in Crail Museum. Preview the photos online. Crail Town Hall, Marketgate, 7.30pm. Admission £5. Free parking in the Marketgate.

Thursday 10th June

Music – ‘Bram Taylor’ – presented by the Crail Folk Club, enjoy an evening of traditional songs, together with contemporary and humorous material, performed on acoustic guitar, duet concertina, or unaccompanied. All welcome. BYOB. Crail Town Hall, Marketgate, 8pm. Admission: £5. More information.

Friday 11th June

Music – ‘The Jazz Divas’ – 1920s blues to the cool era of swing, vocalist Lorna Reid and her Quintet bring her distinct style to songs of the great divas from Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald to Julie London and Diana Krall. Byre Theatre, 8pm. Admission: £14 (£9). For tickets, visit www.byretheatre.com or phone 01334-475000.

Saturday 12th June

Theatre – ‘An Ideal Husband’, Oscar Wilde – outdoor performance of this famous play, performed by Heartbreak Productions. An evening for all the family – bring your own picnic and seating and wrap up warmly to enjoy this performance. Hill of Tarvit, 7.15pm (gates open 6pm). Admission: £14 for adults, £8 for children. More information.

Fair – ‘St Monans Sea Queen Day’ – the only village maintaining the Sea Queen day tradition, St Monans’ festival is like the fishing villages’ equivalent of the rural agricultural May Day festivities. Come along to the harbour from 11.30am to enjoy the stalls and celebrations. Admission: free. More information.

Fair – ‘Crail Primary School Fair’ – meet at 1.30pm at the East Neuk Hotel for a fancy dress parade with Crail Queen and Goldwings Bikes, or start at Beech Walk Park at 2pm for the crowning of the Crail Queen, followed by pony rides, kids races, games for all ages, home baking, raffles and stalls! Get your photo taken on a Goldwing Bike for a £1 charity donation! Beech Walk Park (or adjacent Community Hall if rainy), 2-4pm. Admission: free (all proceeds at the fair go to the Parent Council for playground improvements). Donations welcome at the school anytime. St Andrews Road will be close for the parade.

Sunday 13th June

Agriculture – ‘Fife Vintage Agricultural Machinery Rally’ – a day out for all the family focusing on agricultural and heritage machinery used in Fife over the last century. Also features a craft tent, events ring, and other entertainment. Corston Mill Farm (Strathmiglo), 11am – 5pm.  More information.

Dance – ‘Dias Brazil’, Fife Jazz Club – foot-stomping funky take on classic Brazilian and Afro-Cuban rhythms, Dias combine Latin American folk talents with a tight Scottish rhythm section to produce an exciting blend, full of dance, groove and ambient sounds. With added colour from instruments such as the bazouki, berimbeu, conch shell and cuica the Dias take on samba, bossa and salsa beats brings a whole new dimension to Brasilica sounds. Bring your dancing shoes or just come and listen. Lomond Hills Hotel, 2pm. Admission £5 (in advance from Grace Black: 01592 750625) or £7 (on the door). More information.

Music – ‘Traditional Music Workshop’ – tuition offered in guitar, fiddle, tin whistle, mouth organ, accordion and keyboard with sessions especially for beginners. In partnership with Auchtermuchty Festival Society and Elmwood College Community Learning. Auchtermuchty Town Hall (Auchtermuchty), 2pm. More information.