Top Ten things to do in Harrogate area

2. Harrogate Model Railway Group Open Day, Bilton Grange United Reform Church, Saturday March 2 from 10am-4pm at Bilton Grange United Reform Church on Skipton Road, Harrogate. Models on display include the group’s “Beckton-on-Sea”, a 00 gauge seaside terminus, along side member Andy’s “Foss Islands” and Simon’s “Bog End” and more besides. There will also be a large Lego layout and Thomas The Tank Engine for younger visitors. Entrance £3 adults and £1 per child.

3. Spofforth Beer Festival, Spofforth Village Hall, Friday March 8, 6pm-10.30pm and Saturday March 9, 1pm. There will be 17 craft beers, cider and wine, plus our popular Gin and Procecco Lounge. As well as a featured pizza van and hog roast, there will be live music and a disco and Live 6 Nations rugby union on the big screen. Tickets, £10, for a two-day entry.

4. Soul Patrol, The Engine Shed, Wetherby, Saturday March 2, 7pm. Seven-piece soul band Soul Patrol will be bringing their two-hour show Sweet Soul Music, to the Wetherby venue as a tribute to the Mowtown and Stax record lables. Tickets are £10 from the venue or online via ticketease.co.uk. Doors open at 7pm and there will also be a DJ.

5. Lotherton Hall 50th anniversary exhibitions, March 1-October 20. Lotherton Hall will be celebrating 50 years as a publically owned estate this year and will be marking the occastion with three exhibitions which represent the past, present and future of the estate. Fashion Forward will feature brand new garments and bespoke pieces from some of the most exciting designers in Britain. Treasures of Lotherton and its journey to become a museum will be told in 50 Years in the Making. End of an Era looks at the life and death of Douglas Gascoigne, the would-have-been heir to Lotherton before his untimely death in World War Two.

6. Collabro, Harrogate Royal Hall, Thursday, March 7. Collabro are back on the road for their biggest ever tour, Road to the Royal Albert Hall. The musical theatre group met in 2014 for their first rehearsal in a London pub and a month later gained a standing ovation during their first ever public performance of Stars for the Britain’s Got Talent judges. Since winning Britain’s Got Talent four years ago, they have gained international acclaim. We Will Rock You star Lauren Samuels will join the group as a special guest in Harrogate.

7. Textiles Showcase, Bath House Gallery, RHS Harlow Carr, March 6-April 9. Visitors can browse and buy beautiful pieces made by talented local textile artists in this showcase at one of the region’s most treasured attractions. Textiles, from felt, applique, embroidery and woollen work, will be on show in the Bath House Gallery until April. Normal garden admission applies.

8. Waterstones, Harrogate, Saturday March 9, 10am. Cold Bath Street author AJ Hartley will be signing copies of his new book Monsters in the Mirror. Andrew James Hartley is a British-born American novelist, who writes mystery thrillers and fantasy adventures for children and adults. He used to blog regularly for the writers’ site Magical Words.

9. Saint Michael’s Hospice Twilight Walk, King James’s School, Knaresborough, March 2. Hundreds of walkers will set out from King James’s in a twilight walk which is described as a celebration of light, life and love. As well as the walk there will be live music from the Northern Songbirds.

10. World Book Day fun, Scrivens Opticians, The arcade, Market Place East, Ripon, March 4-7. Staff at the opticians have donated books and collected titles from families to sell in aid of Alzheimer’s Society. There is also a children’s colouring competition running until April 26.