Five Things To Do In Edinburgh: Friday October 5

Your pick of the city’s nights out.

1 Exhibitions: In It to Win It

Last few chances to see an exhibition inspired by the Olympic Games, which runs until Sunday at the refurbished Scottish National Portrait Gallery. This display of new acquisitions showcases some of Scotland’s most distinguished sporting talent. The gallery has commissioned several important new paintings which depict Scots famed for their athletic achievements. In It to Win It also includes recently acquired photo-graphic portraits of sportS stars.To link Scotland’s sporting past and present, the Scottish sculptor Kenny Hunter’s recent work, Young Olympians, is installed upstairs in the 19th-century display, Playing for Scotland.

Others are: Migration Stories: Pakistan, exploring Scotland’s links with Pakistan; Pioneers of Science - portraits of the people who have helped shape the modern world; The Modern Scot - exploring Scottish writers and artists since World War 1; and War At Sea - the war art of Sir John Lavery

Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Queen Street, 10am-7pm (5pm other days), free, 0131- 624 6200

2 Event: Portobello Book Festival

‘It shone at night; it shone beautifully’ - lines from a poem by Alasdair Paterson. This year’s opening event The Library at Night, will feature words by friends and supporters of the Festival with music by Bridget Blackmore and Laurence Dunn.More events Saturday and Sunday at various venues.

Portobello Library, Rosefield Avenue, 8-10.30pm, free but ticketed, visit Portobellobookfestival.blogspot.co.uk

3 MUSIC: John Cale

Velvet Underground legend returns to the Capital to play from his new solo album.

HMV Picture House, Lothian Road, 7pm, £20, 0844-847 1740

4 Theatre: Sex & God

Linda McLean’s new work tells the life stories of four women across the 20th century.

Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 7.30pm, £11.50 (£9.50), 0131-665 2240

5 Theseus and the Minotaur

A LOVE STORY Storytelling theatre with flamenco music and dance.

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Royal Mile, 7.30pm, £6, 0131-668 8066