Over 60 events will make up the 21st
Manly Arts Festival, which is set to run from Friday September 19 through to Sunday September 28. They will include a huge range too, with exhibitions, concerts, talks, dance, films, fun days, bike rides and creative workshops all on the schedule.
The festival will be
officially launched at Manly Art Gallery & Museum (MAG&M) on Friday September 19, from 6.00pm to 8.00pm. Also opening on this day will be the
Joshua Yeldham: Surrender exhibition. Yeldham is a local contemporary artist whose work includes film, painting, photography and sculpture.
Though there are many, many events to choose from throughout the rest of the festival, there are also some particularly interesting ones, like the
Manly Retro Ride, a cycling events where participants are encouraged to dress themselves and their bikes in retro-inspired adornments. It takes place on Sunday September 14, a little before the festival officially starts.

Image from manlyartsfestival.com/exhibitions-events.htm
Manly's Big Draw will take place on Saturday September 20 and will see MAG&M wrapped in paper for an outdoor drawing experience. Over at Manly Library on the same day will be the
Manly Library Zine Fair, while the next day, Sunday September 21, will see the
Q Station Family Fun Day take place at North Head's
Quarantine Station.

Image from manlyartsfestival.com/workshops.htm
Other events making up the Manly Arts Festival include the
Northern Beaches Open Studios Weekend, when local artists will open their creative spaces to the public, and the
Great Wall of Manly art installation. Then there's the
Sydney Chamber Music Festival Bird Song Concert Series (Saturday September 27 and Sunday September 28) and
'Life after Memoir' where the audience can chat to local writers Sarah Turnbull and Susan Duncan.

Image from manlyartsfestival.com/exhibitions-events.htm
For a
full list of events taking place during the Manly Arts Festival you can visit the website
here. Once the festival starts, you'll also be able to collect a program from the Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Manly Library, Manly Council offices, Manly Visitor Information Centre and other venues around the area.
When the festival finishes, it won't be the end of the excitement in Manly either. The
Manly Jazz festival will be underway not long after, from Saturday 4 October to Monday 6 October.