This autumn, the Manchester Weekender returns to the city for its third year, a weekend-long snapshot of the best of the city’s art and culture. From performance art to pop-up cinema, from music premieres to intimate gigs, from superstar authors to Britain’s best bloggers, from art exhibitions to secret theatre, the Manchester Weekender features dozens of events and hundreds of artists – in some of the city’s most iconic and historic spaces.

Over the weekend of 11-14 October, there are over 80 events across Manchester’s main museums and galleries, as well as in unusual spaces dotted across the city centre and The Quays. Over half the events are free, with loads on for families – think stand-up comedy workshops for the under 11s, doodling tours and a pop-up Saturday Film Club inside the world’s first railway warehouse and you’ll be along the right lines.

For those who like to keep their culture urban, there are secret gigs in the Northern Quarter, a ‘flaneur’s guide’ to the same (a walking tour led by Northern Quarter Stories and featuring sherry and cake), as well as a brand new exhibition by that master of the dark (visual) arts, David Shrigley.

If exhibitions are your thing, there are new blockbusters at Manchester Art Gallery, the Whitworth (which alongside work by David Hockney shows a world premiere of a new film by Jane and Louise Wilson), a photo show at The Lowry and the aforementioned David Shrigley show at Cornerhouse.

Jazz afficiandos shouldn’t miss Songs of the Caged Bird, a new song-cycle commissioned by Manchester Jazz Festival and performed in the atmospheric setting of the Grade I-listed People’s History Museum.

But there’s loads else on besides: a Brief Encounter-themed cinema party; Will Self talking exclusively about his Booker-nominated new novel; a lot of dogs at The Manchester Museum (which may not make much sense until you see its new exhibition, Breed: The British and Their Dogs), Richard Bean’s new black comedy, The Heretic at The Lowry…

For more information, visit Creative Tourist, where you’ll find full event listings, features, artist interviews and a series of practical guides to help you find your way through all the events packed into this one, long weekend in the city. We hope to see you there!