MISCELLANEOUS: EXPERIENCE a traditional Lakeland show at the Coniston and Torver Garden Club Annual Horticultural Show, on Sunday. The show will feature a variety of exhibits and takes place at the John Ruskin School, Coniston, from noon-4.30pm. For details, call 015394-41394.

THE Burton-in-Lonsdale Horticultural Society Show takes place in the village hall and Methodist School room tomorrow (Saturday). The show will feature flower arrangers, artists, wine makers and many others. Doors open from 2pm-4pm.

HERON Corn Mill's August Arts Weekends series of events continues with Liz Hodgson's Book Fair which opens this weekend (Saturday & Sunday) at the Heron Corn Mill, Beetham. The fair will feature second-hand books, ephemera and children's books. Doors open from 11am-5pm. For details, call 015395-65027.

WRITERS of lesbian historical romance will be giving readings from their novels at Coronation Hall, Ulverston, tonight (Friday). The evening will feature local author Helen Shacklady, who will be reading from her latest book The Vinland Sheep. The evening will take place in the Supper Room at 7.30pm.

TRY your hand at some traditional local crafts at a craft open day at Skelwith Community Centre, Ambleside, on Thursday. There will be demonstrations and exhibitions of Ruskin lace, spinning and weaving, wood-turning and many others. Doors open at 10am. For details, call 015394-33978.

MADE in Cumbria Summer Craft Fair takes place at Rheged, near Penrith, this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) and features a range of quality crafts and giftware. For details, call 01768-860001.

THE Wordsworth Trust's Summer Poetry Readings season continues at the Thistle Hotel, Grasmere, on Tuesday with award-winning Belfast poet Michael Longley. The evening begins at 6.30pm. For details, call 015394-35544.

A BAY sands horse ride takes place on Thursday, August 26, at 2pm starting from Kents Bank Road Station and led by Queen's Guide to the Sands Cedric Robinson. It was due to take place on August 12, but was postponed because of the weather. The event is in aid of British Heart Foundation and riders are asked for a £10 donation. For information, contact 015395-31374.

FOR some fine country crafts and Lakeland sports, head for Rusland Valley Horticultural Show, Whitestock Meadow, Rusland, on Sunday. Doors open at 12.30 pm. After the show, the Rusland Valley Horticultural Society Dance takes place in a marquee at Whitestock Meadow with music from South of the Border. Doors open at 8.30pm.

ENJOY some traditional English Morris dancing at the Summer Dance Out at the Albion Inn, Arnside (7.15pm) and the Wheatsheaf, Beetham (8.15pm), tonight (Friday).

THE highest folk festival in England takes place this weekend just outside North Stainmore. The Tan Hill Inn, near Keld, on the North Yorkshire Moors, is the venue for the three-day event. For more information, contact organiser Ian Luck on 07813-998003.

CONCERTS: HAWKSHEAD Parish Church's Music for a Summer Evening series of concerts continues on Tuesday with a performance by The Ashthorpe Quartet featuring two sopranos, piano and clarinet. The concert begins at 8pm. The Ashthorpe Quartet will also be appearing at St Peter's Church, Field Broughton at 7.30pm on Wednesday. For details call 015395-36412.

KENDAL Parish Church plays host to a great night of classical music tonight (Friday). Cologne New Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, directed by Volker Hartung, will be performing pieces from Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Bach, Purcell and Mozart. The performance begins at 7.30pm and tickets are available on the door from 6.30pm.

THE Cartmel Priory series of concerts continues tomorrow (Saturday) with a performance from internationally-renowned organist Gordon Stewart. The concert begins at 8pm.

EXHIBITIONS: THIS weekend is the last chance to view Kendal Town Council's exhibition entitled The Life and Times of George Romney, at Kendal Town Hall. On display will be several paintings, sketches and Romney's violin. The exhibition is open from 10am-5pm.

THE Warehouse at Kendal's Brewery Arts Centre is hosting an exhibition of paintings and drawings entitled FACE2 by Sophie Henderson and Catherine MacDiarmid. For details call 01539-725133.

GROUPSHOW is an exhibition of paintings by artists Barbara Braithwaite, Gwendol Gains and Jean Wright and it opens at Farfield Mill, Sedbergh, tomorrow (Saturday). For details, call 015396-21958.

STAVELEY Roundhouse annual art exhibition gets under way tomorrow (Saturday) and will feature work from the pupils of Staveley School and a selection of wood-turned items by Andy Gill.

OFF the Wall, an exhibition of unusual work by artists from all over the country, using walls as the central theme, opens at Foldgallery, Walton's Yard, Kirkby Stephen, tomorrow (Saturday). The exhibition will be open from 10am-4pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, call 017683-71561.

THE Sedbergh and District Art Show opens at the Masonic Hall, Howgill Lane, Sedbergh, today (Friday). On show will be around 170 pieces of work and the exhibition is open from 10am-5pm daily.

SPORT: KENDAL Town FC open their new UniBond League first division campaign at home to Stocksbridge Park Steels at Parkside tomorrow (Saturday, 3pm kick-off). There's a midweek trip to Warrington, also in the league, for Town on Tuesday (7.45pm).

KENDAL Rugby Union Club have a pre-season match at Wharfedale for the Peter Kremer Memorial Trophy tomorrow (Saturday) at 3pm.

THE cricket season continues with Cumberland CC wrapping up their Minor Counties Championship season against Norfolk at Carlisle in a three-day fixture which starts on Sunday at noon. Northern Premier League leaders Netherfield entertain Blackpool tomorrow (Saturday) and Kendal travel to St Annes (both 1pm starts). Both local teams have home group matches in the Thwaites Smooth Beer Trophy on Sunday, with Kendal versus Darwen (1.30pm) and Netherfield versus Morecambe (2pm).

THE Nostalgia Motorcycle Trials and Scramble take place at Middleton, near Sedbergh, on Saturday and Sunday (11am start).

GRASMERE Lakeland Sports and Show takes place at the Sports Field, Stock Lane, Grasmere, on Sunday. The day will be filled with Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, hound trails, mountain biking and fell racing. For details, call 015394-32127.

TALKS: GRANGE and District U3A are hosting a talk and slideshow entitled Malaysian Assignment by Len Dargue on Tuesday. The lecture takes place at the URC Hall, Kents Bank Road, Grange-over-Sands from 9.45am-noon. For details call 015395-34062/36430.

THEATRE: BRITAIN'S only touring theatre ship, the Fitzcarraldo, docks at the Stone Jetty in Morecambe, tonight (Friday). Walk the Plank present 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne's nautical adventure story featuring Captain Nemo and his submarine, the Nautilus, as they embark on a magical undersea voyage. There will be performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm and the show runs until Monday (August 23). For tickets call 01524-582803.

SHOWSTOPPERS, an all-singing all-dancing cabaret spectacular featuring many of the biggest hits from the West End and Broadway, returns to the Bryce Institute, Burneside, on Wednesday. This year's show includes excerpts from Chicago, Phantom of the Opera, Carousel and many more. The show runs until August 28 with performances at 7.30pm. For tickets, call 07792-777213.

WALKS: TAKE part in one of the most breathtaking walks in the region on a nine mile stroll across Morecambe Bay. The walks leave from Hest Bank to Flookburgh on Sunday at 9.30am and from Hest Bank to Kents Bank on Tuesday at 11.30am. Both walks will be led by an expert guide, and a reasonable standard of fitness is required. For more information, call 01524-823423.

UNCOVER the mysteries of the Pendle Witches on a tour through the ancient streets of Lancaster on Thursday. The tour explores one of the largest ever executions for witchcraft that took place in the city in 1612. Meet at Lancaster Castle at 7.30pm.

JOIN the trained guides from Walking the Way to Health for a two mile walk around Staveley on Sunday and Thursday. Meet at the entrance to Staveley Mill Yard. There will also be a walk along Kendal's canal path on Tuesday. Meet at Kendal Leisure Centre at 11am. For details, call 01539-729511.