Community

We love to share Scotland’s musical heritage - one of the foundations of our identity and culture. We’re lucky in Highland Perthshire to have a wealth of musical talent connecting us to the places and memories we cherish. Here at The Birks, we are proud to provide a place for musicians of all levels to gather and play together on a weekly basis. 

Join us every Thursday from 7-10pm - with or without an instrument!

Our acoustic music sessions feature Celtic classics, traditional tunes and renditions of many all-time favourite melodies on the cafe mezzanine level (fully accessible).

Local performers are joined by guest musicians for laid-back evenings of music and song. Feel free to bring your instrument and join in, or come to watch and listen. 

Our Cafe Bar is open for you to enjoy a drink or light bite during the session

No booking needed - just turn up - entrance is free! 

Do you love playing board games? If so, come along on a Friday night and try out our games selection or bring your own favourite and teach us. It’s a great place for people who enjoy meeting friends, family, new folk or colleagues to share fun.

So far we’ve tried classics like dominoes and backgammon and some new ones like:

- Rummikub: Tile combinations are placed on a board with the goal of being the first player to run out of tiles

- Bananagrams: a word game where lettered tiles are used to spell words

- Exploding Kittens: A card game with kittens, explosions, laser beams and sometimes goats!

- Pandemic: A cooperative board game based on the premise that four diseases have broken out in the world, each threatening to wipe out a region

Also look out for:

- Miniature wargaming: players enact battles between opposing military forces that are represented by miniature physical models

- Ticket to Ride: Build tracks between cities before others block the way

- Sequence: an abstract strategy board-and-card game

Our Lego Animation Club for youngsters with Additional Support Needs is a popular after-school creative activity.

Led by experienced practitioners and supported by enthusiastic adult and young volunteers (aged 15-17) – trained in animation skills by Edinburgh’s Animation Jam team – the group is helped to bring their ideas to life using Lego models and ipads.

… And the finished animations will be enjoyed by cinemagoers on the big screen – hopefully inspiring some future movie animators!

Please note this activity is held during term time only.