Top 5 things to do in Winnipeg this weekend (Oct. 3-5)

It's another busy weekend in Winnipeg with a whole bunch of festivals celebrating everything from our amazing local music scene to women in art.

BreakOut West is my number one pick for music lovers this weekend, with performances from a whole bunch of great locals and a few chances to connect with some big names in the industry.

If you're looking for something to do on the cheap, MAWA is hosting Who Counts? A Feminist Art Throwdown all weekend long. A ton of galleries are hosting free showings, there's a free party bus to take a tour of them and a ton of great talks on women in art — not to mention the DJ show.

And if you're not satisfied yet, there's also a brand new show from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and a little Friday night fashion show in the Exchange.

WHAT: MUSIC - BreakOut West
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Where: Various locations
Cost: $20 for a wristband

If you haven't heard of this amazing fest yet, it's probably because Winnipeg hasn't been the host city for eight years!

BreakOut West is basically a celebration of western Canadian music and there are a tonne of shows and even a conference so local bands can network with important music people from across the western half of the country.

What that means for you, though, is just picking up a $20 wristband and seeing a whole bunch of shows all over the city from a bunch of amazing local acts.

If you're not totally sure which shows are the very best to see, I recommend heading to the Pyramid and/or The Cavern on Friday night.

Mise en Scene is playing a 10 p.m. set at The Pyramid with The Revival taking the stage at 1 a.m., and not too far away in Osborne Village, you can catch Hana Lu Lu at 1 a.m. under The Toad.

And on Saturday night, you can either head back to the Pyramid for a stellar lineup including Fred Penner, Indicator Indicator and Moses Mayes or hop over the Provencher Bridge and see Hana Lu Lu do a midnight set at Le Garage.

A full schedule packed with a ton of great shows is available on the BreakOut West site. Oh, and there's a playlist so you can see what stuff sounds like before you spend money on a cab to get there.

WHAT: DANCE - RWB's Going Home Star
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Where: Centennial Concert Hall at 555 Main St.
Cost: $29 to $107 (Pay-what-you-can showings also available)

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is tackling some pretty heavy stuff this weekend.

The RWB has joined forces with some major names to create Going Home Star a ballet about residential school survivors and their families.

This is a huge deal not only for the RWB, but also our city. It's getting international attention -- and for good reason.
Not only will there be RWB dancers on the stage, but the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Tanya Tagaq are also involved.

The tickets can be pricey, but I've never been to an RWB performance I didn't love.

And the RWB is offering a pay-what-you-can show for the first time.

WHAT: THEATRE - Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Where: Manitoba Theatre Centre at 174 Market Ave.
Cost: Tickets start at $25 (less if you're under age 25)

MTC is opening their season with a pretty cool production this weekend.

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily blends the most famous detective ever with a whole bunch of real life characters like Oscar Wilde and Lillie Langtry.

It's super quirky, definitely funny and apparently really scary, too. The set is one of the best I've seen on stage in a long time and the cast is super engaging.

The star, Vancouver's Jay Hindle, looks and sounds pretty much exactly like Hugh Jackman, so even if you're not really into the theatre, you'll probably still enjoy it.

And for only $25 it beats going to see something in a crowded movie theatre that smells like old popcorn.

WHAT: ART - MAWA turns 30
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Where: Various locations
Cost: FREE to $10

Don't be intimidated by the title -- this weekend MAWA is putting on a ton of great events and you should definitely go.

Who Counts? A Feminist Art Throwdown Symposium sounds insanely intimidating, but really there are some great talks, panels, dance parties and art gallery showings going on and it's almost all free.

Friday night about 30 independent galleries are showing art from female and indigenous artists and letting everyone go check it out for free! There's even a party bus that will take you (for free) to a bunch of the different galleries.

On Saturday, you can check out a panel on what feminist art at the Garrick, or skip that and pay $10 to see a DJ show with Mama Cutsworth at The Marlborough.

There are going to be a tonne of guest DJ sets from people in the city's arts community, so that's exciting.

Then on Sunday there's a lecture and an art showing at the U of M. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Oh, and I hope this goes without saying, but just in case you're reading this and aren't sure — men are most definitely invited!

WHAT: FESTIVAL - Send + Receive
When: Friday and Saturday
Where: Various locations
Cost: FREE to $45 for a fest pass

So if you really want to see something different this weekend, head to one of Send + Receive's events.

It's an experimental music fest with a bunch of really cool sound installations and shows.

There's a free show at The Cube in the Exchange on Friday night with a few different installations, and a paid show where this woman (Ellen Fullman) plays music by touching these really long tuned wires that are suspended fifty feet across a space in the Ukrainian Labour Temple.

All of the shows are pretty crazy like that — there's even one where three women take apart a piano and make music with its soundboard.

It's basically a lot of experimental-type music where artists play with sound — definitely a broaden-your-horizons type fest for the open-minded.

If you have a hipster friend who is chronically under-impressed with where you bring them, try this!