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Wednesday (Jan 21) The annual Autumn Fair begins today at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre in Sanabis and will be held until January 29.

In its 20th year, the Autumn Fair will host an exciting bazaar of traders selling spices, handicrafts and carpets and an assortment of products including food delicacies, electrical goods, toys, luxurious textiles, cosmetics, interior dŽcor accessories, rugs and novelties.

There will be over 500 stands brought together from more than 25 countries worldwide, including China, Egypt, Iran, India, Kuwait, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey and the UAE alongside Bahrain.

Special to this year's show is a raffle for a Kia Opirus, sponsored by AA bin Hindi Motors. Entry to the raffle is free of charge on purchase of an Autumn Fair entry ticket.

Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Autumn Fair will be open daily to the public from 10am to 1pm and 4pm to 10pm. Special ladies-only mornings will be held on Sunday and Monday from 10am to 1pm.

Entry is 700 fils while children up to age five enter free.

World Beat Fitness Centre in Budaiya will have an Open Day from 8.30am to 12 noon and from 4pm to 8pm. Fitness programmes including nia, yoga, bosu, pilates, belly dancing, modern jazz and children's classes will run throughout the day. Bosu and yoga are for both men and women. Entry is free for all. For details contact 17612576 or visit www.worldbeatfitness.com.

Thursday (Jan 22)

The Banyan Tree Hotel and Resorts is hosting a Banyan Tree Gallery featuring local hand-made art and crafts.

It will be held from 9.30am to noon. the resort's 'Morning Market' will showcase exclusive designs from the Al Kurar House of traditional handicrafts in Muharraq as well as an array of clay pots by local ceramicist, Ibrahim Ahmed Al Amady.

The resort is also launching an exclusive series of postcards named 'A Collection of Bahrain Art' aiming to give local artists a platform to further showcase their work.

A set of 10 postcards will be displayed and sold at Banyan Tree Gallery for BD4 per set and the profits will be donated to a local charity that supports children with special needs.

For details contact 17845000.

An Indian classical dance performance by schoolgirl Nayantara Gopi will be held at the Abdul Rahman Kanoo International School, Salmabad.

The debut dance recital or 'arangetram' in the popular Indian dance form, Bharatanatyam will be staged by Nayantara, 12, a student of the New Millennium School from 7pm.

She has been trained under the guidance of guru Kavita Sanjay, a Bharatanatyam dance teacher from the Kalakshetra School of Dance, India.

Farouk Almoayyed, chairman of Y K Almoayyed & Sons will be the chief guest at the event.

The event is open to a restricted audience by invitation. For details contact Rupa Gopi on 39059508.

French Connection’s guest DJ Cedric Benoit will make his Bahrain debut with a performance at Level on Thursday. For details contact 39649590.

Friday (Jan 23)

Backed by two top drawer musicians, Jeff Allen and Alan Thompson, the former Moody Blues and Wings star has been there, done that ... and is still doing it despite looked as haggard as a Rolling Stone.

Touring again and living Stateside the masterful musician had his hands full with guitars, a harmonica and a Roland keyboard all within touching distance and side-kicks added to the flavour with bass, drums and a magical mandolin.

The music was of the foot-tapping variety and had a few exuberant expats dancing in the aisles and on the balcony overlooking the stage.

And although this reviewer enjoyed every moment the bits between the songs proved just as entertaining.

I could have done with even more of the stories behind the songs from this performer who has played and written with many masters of popular music since the 1960s. As well as collaborating with the likes of ex Beatle Paul McCartney in Wings, the performer has brushed shoulders with icons such as Richie Havens and Bruce Springsteen (apparently known as Loose Windscreen to his pals).

He explained how some of life's experiences that inspired him to write songs. I particularly liked the rockier 'Burning Bridges' about former friends and the mournful 'Food for All' and 'Goin' for Gold' empathising with the people chasing the American dream.

His easy-going banter with the crowd was as appealing as the way he handled the lens invasion of photographer Tony Terrot by inviting him further on to the stage for a crowd-pleasing duo of 'Summertime'.

Before we knew it, we'd already said goodbye and it was time to 'Go Now' ...

Stan Szecowka

* The next international visiting act at Upstairs Downstairs in Adliya is Nine Below Zero on Friday, February 20.

Award-winning musician JP Cormier will perform live at the Dilmun Club. Tickets are priced at BD10 for members and BD12 for non-members.

Cormier is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, sideman, innovator, recording artist and award winner who has travelled the world for the past 23 years giving musical performances. He began playing guitar, self taught, at the age of five.

His impressive body of work has earned him a vast and loyal fan base, and multiple award nominations and wins including Instrumental Album of the Year at the first Annual Canadian Folk Awards, the 2006 ECMA Folk Recording of the Year for The Long River: A Personal Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot and a placing in the prestigious International Songwriting Competition.

He will be accompanied by Hilda Chiasson-Cormier on piano and harmony vocals, and multi-instrumentalist Darren McMullen.

For details contact 17690926 and 17692986 or email dilclub@batelco.com.bh.

Sue Anderson Consultants (SAC) are bringing The UK Boarding Schools Middle East Tour to Bahrain today and tomorrow at the Bahrain Rugby Football Club and the Dilmun Club respectively.

SAC provides families with free and impartial advice and guidance on UK boarding schools, summer schools and language programmes. It will include advice on every step of the way from recommending schools to arranging visits, testing and liaising with schools.

The event will be held from 2pm to 7pm today and from 1pm to 6pm tomorrow.

For details contact Sue or Sara on 00441474815450, email enquiries@andersoneducation.co.uk or log on to www.andersoneducation.co.uk

Tuesday (Jan 27)

Bahrain's creative art society Elham will hold its monthly gathering at the Albareh Gallery Adliya.

An author, musician, painter and cartoonist blend together to create an evening of culture, art, music and history.

Starting at 7.30pm, award-winning Author Reena Abraham will read excerpts from her book 'Footprints in Time', a historical look at Indians in Bahrain.

Indian vocalist Padmini Rao's passion for Indian classical music creates memories of India in a song blending two of India's musical streams - the dhrupad and the khayal.

South African professional artist Anna Thackray will unveil her new works reflecting the past from a western perspective. She will talk about her unique approach of combining paint and stitched fabric and Bahraini artist Mohammed Almahdi will create a cartoon right in front of guests.

For details visit

www.elhambahrain.net or email elham@yahoo.com.