Father's Day is this Sunday, but fret not, whatever type of dad yours is — nature lover to history buff, petrolhead to culture vulture — there is something happening to treat him to. SIMON PARKIN picks ways to dazzle your dad with all the family.

THE HISTORY TRAIN

Norwich City Centre, June 18, 11.30am-5pm, admission free, www.britishartshow8.com

Upcoming major exhibition the British Art Show's arrival in Norwich is being celebrated by a unique event conceived by Great Yarmouth-based artist Alan Kane in which the county's rich agricultural past combines with contemporary art to create an extraordinary spectacle. The city's streets will witness a procession of six carts pulled by magnificent Shire horses, including rare-breed Suffolk Punches. The horses will process through Norwich city centre to deliver the crates containing British Art Show 8 art works to the three venues – Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery and the Forum. It's the day before Fathers Day, but don't miss it.

NORWICH ART CAR BOOT FAIR

Redwell Brewery, Millgate, Trowse, June 19, 11am-6pm, admission free, www.printtothepeople.com

Art, street food, live music...and beer! There is something for dads of all tastes at this non-profit event organised by Print to the People, Redwell Brewery, Proper Pizza and Access to Music. Artworks by artists known and unknown for sale. Music from local bands such as Chad Mason, Dove & Boweevil, Falling The Trees, Matt Watson and Blank Lines. Food stalls with Proper Pizza, Harbercue Smokehouse, Ronaldo Ices, Comrades' Canteen and Hushwing Café. Also workshops, kids activities, demos and puppet-making (£4). Not forgetting the chance to enjoy Redwell beers.

FATHER'S VIP DAY

Bure Valley Railway, June 19, 11.10am-3.30pm, £23.50 adult, £12.50 child return, under-5s free, 01263 733858, www.bvrw.co.uk

Norfolk's longest narrow gauge steam railway has a special Fathers Day train and lunch package. Starting from Wroxham, experience the magic of steam through nine miles of Norfolk countryside, following the Bure Valley, before arriving at Aylsham, followed by two-course set lunch. Then the opportunity to drive a steam engine before the return journey to Wroxham.

GORY STORIES ON A WICKED WALK

The Fishermen's Hospital, Great Yarmouth, June 19, 2pm, £3.75, £1.50 children, under-7s free, 01493 846346, email tourism@great-yarmouth.gov.uk

Not for feint-hearted dads. Great Yarmouth has its fair share of tall stories and unpleasant goings-on which you can find out all about on this wicked walk. Hear tales of body snatchers, disasters and carrying-on in graveyards, find out about murder most horrid in the Rows and the time the Witch Finder General came to town.

STOCK CAR RACING

Yarmouth Stadium, Caister-on-Sea, June 19, 5.30pm, £16 (£12 cons), £7 children, under-4s free, £43 family, 01493 720343, www.yarmouthstadium.co.uk

The thrill of motor racing at Yarmouth Stadium around the tarmac oval track is the perfect treat for dads that love the thrill of racing. This Sunday's event is sure to be typically all-action includes National Bangers, Junior Bangers, Superstox and the Safari Land Rover Engineering Challenge Series.

BIG TOYS FOR BIG BOYS

Church Farm, Lynn Road, Stow Bardolph, King's Lynn, June 19, 10am-5pm, normal admission, 01366 382162, www.churchfarmstowbardolph.co.uk

Fathers Day provides the perfect opportunity for Church farm to roll out all the large machinery that the estate use into the farm for one day only. Tractors, the combine harvester, the beet harvester and other interesting equipment will be on display for you to look at, learn a little bit about and even have a sit in. All the normal activities will also be happening including tractor rides, animal encounters and pig feeding and pig racing. Dads and Grandads go free when accompanied by children.

CANAL OPEN DAYS

Ebridge Mill Pond, Happisburgh Road, North Walsham, June 18-19, 11am-5pm, admission free, www.nwdct.org

The North Walsham and Dilham Canal Trust hold their fourth annual open weekend, coinciding with Father's Day. You'll be able to see exhibits of its history, old and new photographs and take along your own treasured memories of the canal. Displays by Norfolk Classic and Vintage Tractor Club and Ebridge Model Boating Club, wildlife expert, raffle, tombola, refreshments, ice cream, bric-a-brac and The Canoe-Man of Wroxham will be there to tempt you to take to the water and paddle up as far as Spa Common.

CHEERS TO DADS!

Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse, June 15, 10am-5pm, normal admission £11.50 (£11 cons), £9.80 children, £38.50-£29 family, 01362 860563, www.museum.norfolk.gov.uk

Say cheers to Fathers Day at Gressenhall. Learn about Norfolk's brewing history and the unique collection of objects from Norfolk breweries and pubs. Don't miss your chance to meet the head brewer at Panther Brewery and explore Norfolk's brewing heritage both past and present. If your dad is a 'motorhead', he'll love visiting the Panhard et Levassor, Norfolk's oldest working car. Or if he is more interested smoke and noise, volunteer engineers will be running stationary engines throughout the day. There is fun and games and stalls selling fresh produce, crafts and plants there's sure to be something for everyone not only dads!

FATHERS DAY

Fen Drayton Lakes, June 19, 10am-2pm, £10, £5 children, pre-book 01954 233260, email fendraytonlakes@rspb.org.uk

Kids take your Dads and Grandads for some outdoor fun building dens and learning how to do some woodland crafting, making a mallet out of green wood at this family day. All that activity means you will have a good appetite for the barbecue for everyone at around 1 pm. Dads and Grandads go free. Meet at the Welcome Shelter in the main car park.

DAD'S OPEN DAY

Barton House Railway, Hartwell Road, The Avenue, Wroxham, June 19, 2.30pm-5.30pm, £3, £1.50 under-14s, 01603 782008, bartonhouserailway.org.uk

Barton House Railway's Open Day offers the chance to ride on two miniature railways in the garden, operating steam and electric locomotives, plus a special Fathers Day Model Exhibition Go by road or by free electric boat from Wroxham Bridge - continuous service during opening times and you can even drive a train on a section of 'new track' for £1 (all classes).

VINTAGE RALLY

Goodrich Park, Palgrave, June 18-19, from 10am each day, £6, £4 children, 07787 155338, www.throughtheages.co.uk

The fourth year of the Journey Through the Ages Show at Goodrich Park in Palgrave, near Diss, has a jam packed schedule of activities for all the family, but especially dads. Over 450 exhibits from vintage tractors to military vehicles, traction engines and commercial vehicles and classic cars, there is hours of entertainment in walking through history. Have fun in the giant sand pit, donkey rides, vintage fairground, birds of prey flying display, fun dog show, and the amazing giant tortoises!

DAD'S DAY OUT!

East Anglian Transport Museum, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft, June 19, 12pm-4.30pm, £9 (£7 cons), £6 children, under-5s free, 01502 518459, eatransportmuseum.co.uk

Special day at East Anglian Transport Museum designed to show the development of mechanical transport over the best part of a century. The essence of transport is movement, so we are building a living museum where vehicles of yesteryear, trams, trolleybuses and more can be seen in action, where half-forgotten sounds of the past are brought back to life. Take dad along today for a father's day treat and possibly have a go at conducting one of our trolleybuses under supervision.

NORFOLK FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL

The Forum, Norwich, June 19, 10am-5pm, admission free, www.norfolkfoodanddrink.com

IF you're dad is a foodie this is perfect. The festival promises a packed programme including the ever popular Battle of the Bangers, local beers, ales and spirits in the Adnams beer garden, a producers' village packed full of delicious local food and drink, Feast on the Street, a cookery demonstration theatre featuring some of the county's best-loved and best-known chefs, plus live music and children's entertainment.

WALK WITH ME

Felbrigg Hall, until October, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm, 3.30pm, £8, 01603 766400, www.nnfestival.org.uk

Unique audio-walk. Wander through woods and fields creating your own cinematic experience. With the landscape as your screen, headphones provide a soundtrack of music, words and sound effects. As you move through the grounds, moods change, time flits from past to present and an intriguing narrative by novelist Megan Bradbury recollects the past of Felbrigg Hall and reframes the estate as a place of stories and wonder.

THE BIG LUNCH

Grapes Hill Community Garden, Dereham Road, June 19, 12pm-3pm, www.thebiglunch.com

Good food, licensed bar, live music and family fun in city centre community garden for Fathers Day. This Big Lunch is open to anyone from the local area or the wider Norwich community and includes barbecue, licensed bar, a homemade tea and cake stall, raffle, plant stall and live music including Song Noir, PubStep and Flesh and Bone. Filigree Face and Body Art will add colour to the event again this year. The garden is tucked away behind the St Benedict's View business units at the bottom of Grapes Hill.

HEYDON OPEN DAY

Heydon Hall, June 19, 2pm-5pm, £3, children free, www.facebook.com/HeydonVillage

Heydon Open Gardens Day includes a chance to explore the gardens of Heydon Hall - which are rarely open to the public plus gardens of picturesque Heydon village. There will also be a display by North Norfolk Classic Vehicle Club, entertainment by Holt Ridge Morris dancers, a plant and produce stall, plus refreshments on the village green. Heydon is one of less than a dozen privately owned villages in Great Britain and became Norfolk's first conservation area in 1971.

BROADS FATHER'S DAY

Museum of the Broads, Stalham, June 19, 10am-4pm, 01692 581681, museumofthebroads.org.uk

Here's a Fathers Day treat combining history and boating. The Museum of the Broads has free admission and a free trip on steam boat Falcon for all dads who bring their child with them. Normal museum and boat trip charges for all others. Pre-book for boat trips.

VINTAGE TRACTOR ROAD RUN

Manor Farm, Gayton Road, Grimston, King's Lynn, June 15, 10am- 5pm, free admission, 01485 600337

The procession of vintage tractors will leave Manor Farm at 10.30am for this popular Father's Day staple, returning at 2.30pm. The country fayre from 2.30pm with include live music, performing dog team, craft demos, steam traction engines and classic cars. See over 40 vintage tractors and chat to the drivers. It's an afternoon of old fashioned family fun.

DISS CYCLATHON

Diss Corn Hall, June 19, £15-£25, more details/register at www.disscyclathon.org

If you're dad is a lycra-clad cycle lover or just enjoys a pedalled powered ride out, try the Nine Town Sportive and pedal either 25, 50 or 100 miles all to raise money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. It is part of Diss Cyclathon, a day to celebrate all that is great about cycling in Norfolk and Suffolk.

DARING DADS

Go Ape, Thetford Forest, open daily, £33, £25 ages 10-17, £18 children (over 1m tall), Segway tours £35 per person, prebook 0843 770 3748, www.goape.co.uk

Take your dad on a family adventure and dare him to do something different. Take a trip to Go Ape at Thetford Forest which has high ropes, awesome crossings, tunnels, bridges and an epic wind-in-yourface zip wire. If your mum doesn't have a head for heights, you can enjoy a Segway forest tour.