Drama to the finish line:

Saturday, 20 October from 11am: 2018 Rolex Middlesea Race, 50th anniversary - Ta'Xbiex seafront, Ta'Xbiex

50 years of drama. 50 years of the stunning yacht peaks set against the Valletta bastions. Yes, the 50th anniversary of the Rolex Middlesea Race is nigh upon us. This year, the event, which first took place in 1968, aims to build on its world record breaking heritage with dozens of countries set to compete. Th race starts of in Ta’ Xbiex and runs clockwise, trailing the Mediterranean, hitting Sicily, Lampedusa, Pantelleria and the Egadian and Eolian islands. Will the current record of 47 hours 55 minutes be beaten? We’ll just have to wait and see. 

Saturday, 20 October from 7am – 1pm: The Grid, Sprint 2018 - Golden Bay, Manikata; Saturday, 20 October from 2pm – 5pm: Orange Bike Day! - Ta'Xbiex

Malta may have one of the highest rates of obesity in Europe but, this weekend, there are ways to get off that sofa and get moving. Both taking place on Saturday, the first starts at the very unholy hour of 7am: the Grid Sprint will test your stamina in a course set to challenge even the most dedicated. If you fancy a bit of an easier ride (quite literally), head to Ta’ Xbiex at 2pm for Orange Bike Day, organised by the Bicycle Advocacy Group in collaboration with the Embassy of the Netherlands. Participants will head towards St Julian’s and back in an effort to promote the sustainable method of transport – and a healthier way of life. Don your best orange outfit for the occasion!

Drama on stage:

From Friday, 19 October at 730pm: Amadeus by Peter Shaffer - Teatru Manoel, Valletta

Milos Forman’s film Amadeus, telling the story of composer Salieri’s rivalry with that upstart, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was a global sensation when it was released, winning eight Academy Awards in 1985, including Best Picture and Best Director. Now, the stage play on which the film was adapted comes back to our shores with the esteemed actor Manuel Cauchi taking up the Salieri role and Thomas Camilleri as Mozart. Tickets from here.

From Friday, 19 October from 8pm – 9.30pm: De-terminated: The Abortion Diaries - Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta; From Friday, 19 October from 8pm – 9.30pm: Tebut Isfar ta' Clare Azzopardi - Valletta Campus Theatre, Valletta

The power of art to make us think about our lives and the issues of today make it to the front of the stage this weekend with two productions aiming to get our mental cogs turning. The one act-play, De-terminated, focusing on abortion in Malta (where it is still illegal), aims to ask the question: is Malta suppressing women’s rights or is the country really preventing murder of the unborn? Tickets can be bought from here. And, this weekend also sees the continued run of the Maltese-language play, Tebut Isfar, by acclaimed local writer Clare Azzopardi, which tells the increasingly-familiar story of a small business having to content with the power of a large construction developer (buy your tickets from here). 

Dramatic sounds:

Friday, 19 October from 8pm – 11pm: Rocktober 2018 - Wilga Street, Paceville , St Julian's; Friday, 19 October – Saturday, 20 October from 8pm: Malta Doom Metal Fest 2018 (X Edition) - Chateau Buskett, Triq il-Buskett, Siggiewi

Rock and heavy metal bring on the heat this weekend with Rocktober, an annual musical event dedicated to the genre, and the 10th edition of the Malta Doom Metal Fest. The choice of which to attend depends on your style, though you could actually make it to both, since both events are taking place over two or more nights. 

Dramatic makeovers:

Saturday, 20 October from 10am – 10pm: The Make-Up Festival - The Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta; All weekend from 6.30pm: Home & Interiors Exhibition 2018 - MFCC Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre, National Stadium, Ta' Qali

Whether its your home or your makeup bag which needs a bit of sprucing up, you’ll be sorted with ideas this weekend. The Make-Up Festival, taking place at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, aims to inject a bit of colour into your confidence (tickets here) while the Home & Interiors Exhibition at the MFCC Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre targets your home. Whichever you choose to go to – or if you decide on both – there’ll be lots to learn and discover.