Five fun things to do in Manchester this weekend: 1st-3rd October

After a week of rain and grey skies, we all need cheering up this weekend. We’ve cherry-picked five fun things to do this weekend to lift your spirits and carry you through to Monday.

And if you’ve got an event coming up you want us to feature, email us at [email protected]

Women in Comedy Festival

From Friday 1 October to Sunday 31 October, venues across Manchester

The eighth annual Women in Comedy festival returns to the city, with a stellar line-up to make you laugh out loud. Highlights include Mock the Week and QI guest Olga Koch, who will be bringing her Homecoming tour to the Frog and Bucket on Sunday, and the four-strong, less-than-well-behaved Promising Middle-Aged Women on Saturday at Tribeca Bed. See the event website here for the full line-up, list of venues and tickets.

Come to My Mum’s

Friday 1 October, Contact, Manchester

Afreena Islam-Wright is turning the Contact Theatre on Oxford Road into a space for South Asian Muslim women to talk about the things that matter to them. Following the opening event on Thursday, Friday will see poetry, spoken word and storytelling from acclaimed local artists Nasima Bee, Hafsah Aneela Bashir and Amina Beg, with Afreena also taking to the stage. The Contact box office can be reached on 0161 274 0600.

Manctoberfest

Friday 1 and Sunday 3 October, Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Stretford.

Lederhosen at the ready - Manchester’s answer to Munich is here. Expect traditional Bavarian beers aplenty but the music will be distinctly Mancunian on Friday night, with tunes from tribute bands covering Oasis, Stone Roses and more. The fun then resumes on Sunday from 2pm. A few tickets are still available at Feverup here.

Brick or Treat at Legoland

From Saturday 2 October to Sunday 31 October (weekends and school holidays), Trafford Centre, Manchester.

If you don’t fancy tramping around a muddy field pumpkin-picking, here’s chance for your little monsters to build their own pumpkins out of Lego. They can also meet the Lego mascots, join a scavenger hunt and help make a Lego vampire.

Activities are including in general admission prices, from £17.50, and can be booked on the Legoland website here.

Manic Street Preachers

Saturday 2 October, Manchester 02 Apollo.

The marvellous Manics are back in town with their 14th studio album tour, promoting The Ultra Vivid Lament. Expect some 90s and noughties classics in the mix too from the Welsh rockers’ long back catalogue. Tickets are still available, priced from £46, at Tickemaster here.