There's no avoiding it. Christmas is coming. And to prove the point, here come the Christmas Markets taking over Albert Square and, this year, spreading out even further than ever. But that's far from all that's going on in Manchester this week, so sit back and plan your social life for the next seven days with our pick of some of the highlights coming this way.
Things To Do
Manchester Christmas Markets, Albert Square and various locations, Fri Nov 14 - Sun Dec 21
Expect tin toys, ceramics, paintings, jewellery knitwear and things you have to ask about because you're not sure what they are in the annual Christmas shopping, eating and drinking jamboree.
See our Things To Do section for more.
Art
From One Side to the Other, The Lowry, from Sat Nov 15, Free
Dancer and choreographer Akram Khan presents an exhibition of work which has inspired him throughout his life and career as the second of The Lowry's 'Performer As Curator' series which started with Alison Goldfrapp.
Immortal Love from Shanghai, Gallery Oldham, from Sat Nov 15, Free
A collection of work highlighting traditional Chinese skills such as paper cutting, watercolour painting and stone carving.
Check out Manchester's best galleries.
Theatre
A Farewell To Arms, The Lowry, Thu Nov 13 - Sat Nov 15, £19
A multimedia interpretation of the stage version of Hemingway's novel from the 'imitating the dog' theatre company who always deliver interesting stuff.
Desh, The Lowry, Thu 13 - Fri 14 Nov, £17-£27
Meaning 'homeland' in Bengali, Desh promises to be Akram Khan's most personal work, in which he collaborates with the Oscar-winning visual artist Tim Yip ('Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon').
Alice in Wonderland, The Octagon Bolton, Nov 14 - Sat Jan 10, £13.50-£19.50
The first of the Christmas shows kicks off the yuletide season with an in-the-round production for the kiddies.
Have a look at our list of Manchester's best theatres.
Comedy
Josie Long, XSMalarkey, Tue Nov 11, £5
Politics, cosmology and a recent Maths qualification - all might well feature in the comedian's stand up show at regular haunt XSMalarkey.
John Bishop, Arena, Fri Nov 14 - Sun Nov 16, £30
The cheeky Scouser has come a long way, filling up arena sized venues throughout the land. Catch him if you can in his 'Supersonic' tour.
You're havin' a laugh! Well, you could be with our list of top comedy clubs.
Music & Nightlife
The Hallé, Bridgewater Hall, Wed Nov 12, £11-£37
Berlioz, Bizet and Shostakovich form the programme for an evening which features orchestral pieces from 'Carmen'.
Bollox, Star and Garter, Fri Nov 14, £5
A run down pub, cheap beer, drag, lips, lashes, indie pop, rock and everything between. Turns out gay clubbing isn't Bollox after all.
Top Of the Pops Mint Lounge 10th Birthday, Fri Nov 14, £4
With Clint Boon at the helm you're in for a night of all sorts, with dance floor fillers from every type of music and from as many decades. Check out our top picks from Mint Lounge DJs past and present.
La Roux, The Ritz, Sun Nov 16, £19.50
'Trouble In Paradise' is an electro pop marvel and La Roux will be belting it out, plus tracks from her debut album, 'Bulletproof', which is now five years old. Jeez.
More? Of course there's more! It's here.
Film
The Imitation Game
Already tipped for Oscar glory, the story of hero Alan Turing has been much praised for the performance from Benedict Cumberbatch, making a complex, difficult role his own. It's a fascinating story of a man persecuted to the grave who we owe a huge debt to. Now that's a good story!
The Drop
Worth seeing if only for the performance of the late, great James Gandolfini, ably supported by Tom Hardy, surely about to go through the roof as the new 'Mad Max', and Noomi Rapace, in a gloomy, grey underdog story.
Sort out your cinema going, find screening times and see what's coming soon with the help of our film section.