What to Do During the Week & the Weekend in Buenos Aires

Artificial intelligence is already changing the way stories are told, and Buenos Aires will have its own stage to showcase this transformation. WAIFF Buenos Aires, the first local edition of the international festival bringing together AI, cinema and technological innovation, has extended its submission deadline to October 14. Filmmakers, creators and audiovisual professionals can enter in six categories: Short Film, Feature Film, Animation, Microseries, Advertising and Documentary. Applications can be submitted at worldaifilmfestival.com/buenos-aires. Selected projects will be included in the official programme and compete for the chance to represent Argentina at Road to Cannes, the pathway to the festival’s World Grand Final.

The event will take place on October 30, from 10am to 10pm, at the Buenos Aires Convention Centre (CEC), as part of TecWeek 2026, the City’s initiative bringing together innovation, technology and the creative industries. The programme includes a full day of screenings, masterclasses, panel discussions and networking opportunities with leading figures from cinema, technology and the creator economy.

The inside scoop: The local jury is chaired by Axel Kuschevatzky, while the international jury will include figures such as Marco Landi, former president of Apple.

Where: Registration takes place online; the festival will be held at Av. Pres. Figueroa Alcorta 2099, Recoleta.

A word of warning: these dolls aren't just for playing with. Throughout October and until November 22, you can see 65 works spanning centuries of Japanese rituals, craftsmanship and popular culture at the National Museum of Oriental Art. “Ningyō” literally means “human form”, and the exhibition takes you through four different worlds. First are the dolls made to pray for children's growth and protect them, such as those associated with Hina Matsuri, the Japanese festival celebrating girls every March 3. Next come the dolls that are true works of art, carved and dressed with astonishing attention to detail. Then there are pieces of folk art, made from wood, paper and clay, that tell stories about life in different parts of Japan. Finally, you'll discover dolls that have made their way into theatre, toys and even manga, anime and video games. You'll leave with a whole new understanding of what a doll can be: an object of worship, a family symbol, a work of art and a collectible character, all in one exhibition.

The inside scoop: Admission is free.

Where: Viamonte 525, San Nicolás.

It turns out the end of the world wasn't empty after all. Until October 18, you have one final week to visit Habitar lo Extremo: Una biografía arquitectónica de la Antártida (Inhabiting the Extreme: An Architectural Biography of Antarctica) at the National Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibition traces more than two centuries of architecture on the White Continent, from minimalist shelters and Soviet brutalism to post-war utopian visions. Part of the 20th Buenos Aires Architecture Biennial, it stems from research by the 6044 SUR collective and leaves you wondering whether Antarctica might be a laboratory for the way we'll live in the future. The museum opens at 11am Tuesday to Friday and at 10am on Saturdays and Sundays. Last admission is at 7.30pm every day.

The inside scoop: Admission is free.

Where: Avenida del Libertador 1473, Recoleta.

Get ready to feel the bass in your chest. On October 14 at 8pm, the dub master arrives at Niceto Club with No Protection, an album he has never performed in the city before. In 1995, Massive Attack invited him to reimagine their entire second album, Protection. The result was a cult classic that transported the songs into a universe of echoes, reverberation, deep bass and hypnotic atmospheres, becoming one of the most influential intersections between dub and trip-hop. Now, he's bringing it to Buenos Aires for the first time, alongside other landmark dubs from his career.

Behind the decks is Neil Fraser, born in Guyana and based in the UK, who learned his craft from none other than Lee “Scratch” Perry, the great alchemist of dub. Drawing on that legacy, he founded the Ariwa label and studio, helping propel the genre into the digital era throughout the 1980s and 1990s with a distinctive sound blending reggae roots and electronic experimentation. Over more than four decades, he has produced and remixed tracks for Massive Attack, Depeche Mode, Sade, Jamiroquai, Beastie Boys and The Orb.

The inside scoop: Tickets are on sale at venti.live.

Where: Niceto Vega 5510, Palermo.

Give dinner its own soundtrack. On October 15, from 8.30pm until midnight, Silvino hosts another vinyl session, with Martín Scianitti behind the decks. Start with a drink at the bar, sit down for dinner or drop by later for a glass of wine, accompanied by dishes and desserts from chef Gaspar Natiello. Seasonal additions include garlic prawn cannoli, sweetcorn and feta croquettes, marinated pork with mashed potatoes, and cassava served with brava sauce and baby squid.

The inside scoop: Chef Gastón Natiello was born in Olavarría and trained at the Gato Dumas culinary school. Today, he is one of the most respected figures in Buenos Aires's dining scene.

Where: Guevara 421, Chacarita.

A café where a blank page fills with fantasy: that's where this original musical by Malvina Borges and Lucien Gilabert begins. It premieres on October 15 at 8pm at Teatro Border. Ofelia is an artist in her thirties who must finish an adaptation of Hamlet for a classics competition that could launch her career. Out of ideas and carrying her laptop, she enters the mysterious Café Japón, where the tragedy of writer's block becomes entangled with personal history and fiction. With help from her Muses, she embarks on a creative journey in search of her ikigai, her reason for being, discovering that light finds its way in through the cracks.

Featuring a live band and a sound that brings Argentine music together with the subtlety of Japanese poetry, this contemporary musical theatre production stands with one foot in the East and the other in the West. It asks whether fiction can ease the tragedy of being born into our times, and whether the course of a story can be changed to find a different ending.

The inside scoop: Tickets are available at the theatre box office or on its website.

Where: Godoy Cruz 1838, Palermo.

What if Shakespeare woke up to Argentine rock? That's the premise of this production, which was a huge hit during the Villa Carlos Paz theatre season and arrived in Buenos Aires as one of the most-nominated shows at the 2026 Premios Carlos awards. Shakespeare suddenly finds himself in a world he no longer recognises, where Puck, the mischievous and rebellious sprite from A Midsummer Night's Dream, is waiting to prove that his stories are just as alive as they were four centuries ago. Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth and the rest step out of the books and into a world of guitars, humour, dancing and high energy, soundtracked by Charly García, Spinetta, Cerati, Fito Páez and even Lali.

Chacho Garabal, who also wrote and directed the production, plays Shakespeare, while Julián Pucheta takes on the role of Puck. This week's performance is on October 15 at 9pm at Teatro Regina, with further shows on October 22 and 29.

The inside scoop: The entire cast is male, a nod to Elizabethan theatre conventions, when female characters were played by men.

Where: Santa Fe 1235, San Nicolás.

Buckle up: this cinematic road trip runs throughout October. From October 15 to 30, ten films by German director Wim Wenders, most shown in newly restored 4K prints, will screen at the Sala Leopoldo Lugones at Teatro San Martín as part of the 22nd European Film Festival.

The series opens on October 15 at 8.30pm with Wings of Desire, in which two angels fly over Berlin, divided by the Wall, and one falls in love with a trapeze artist. On October 16 at 6pm, The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick follows a goalkeeper who loses his bearings on the pitch and wanders through the city, becoming increasingly adrift. That same day at 8.30pm comes The American Friend, a crime thriller starring Dennis Hopper, in which a modest picture framer with a terminal illness is offered a job working for gangsters that's difficult to refuse.

On October 17 at 2.30pm, it's the turn of Until the End of the World (director's cut), a science-fiction road movie featuring a fugitive pursued by the CIA and an invention that allows people to see dreams. The film runs for almost five hours, including an interval. At 8.30pm, one of the director's best-known films screens: Paris, Texas, about a man wandering through the desert with no memory of who he is, with a screenplay by Sam Shepard and Ry Cooder's guitar score. The week closes on October 18 at 9pm with Buena Vista Social Club, the documentary about veteran Cuban musicians who went from obscurity to international fame. The series continues until October 30, with Alice in the Cities, The State of Things, Kings of the Road and Tokyo-Ga, alongside repeat screenings of several titles.

The inside scoop: Retirees and students receive discounted tickets when purchasing in person at the theatre box office and presenting proof of eligibility.

Where: Av. Corrientes 1530, San Nicolás.

May the (celestial) force be with you. For three nights, October 16, 17 and 18, starting at 7pm, La Fuerza Bar in Chacarita becomes a window onto the universe. Franco Meconi, from Terraza al Cosmos, will be your guide for this weekend's cosmic adventure. There'll be telescope stargazing, offering a chance to look at a sky that rarely gets a proper look-in from the city, as well as a photography exhibition bringing the wonders above us closer. It's the perfect excuse to look up, discover what's between the planets and stars, and stay until the sky steals the show.

There are also special offers if you buy both Sideral bottles (Sideral and Sideral Barrica Única), a Negroni Sideral at a special price, and a DJ playing a playlist that moves from the celestial to the cosmic. The idea is to raise a glass while keeping one eye on the telescope.

The inside scoop: Terraza al Cosmos is a personal astrophotography project created by Argentine photographer Franco Meconi, who built an astronomical observatory on the terrace of his home in the La Paternal neighbourhood.

Where: Dorrego 1409, Chacarita.

This week is packed with pop-ups that will take you on a journey through new flavours and experiences.

First up, on Wednesday, October 14 at 8pm, Gran Dabbang and Narda Comedor join forces for a special pop-up featuring Mariano Ramón, Narda Lepes and Tomás Pietragallo. The three chefs will prepare a barbecue-inspired evening featuring two takes on chicken: one French-style, served with Caesar salad and French fries, and another inspired by Thailand's Isan region, accompanied by som tam, sticky rice and a selection of dipping sauces to share. The experience includes two desserts and Catena wines throughout the evening.

Next, on October 15 at 8pm at Cruz Godoy, Sergio Higashiyoshihama, the creator of Tori Tori, will cook alongside host chef Tute Gutiérrez. The pair will bring together the Japanese tradition of yakitori and live-fire cooking in a multi-course menu paired with Kira beers. The price is $85,000 per person.

Finally, on October 16, from 7pm to midnight, Saigón Noodle Bar Palermo celebrates its tenth anniversary with a party alongside La Calle Bar. The exclusive menu features Phở Chiên Phồng, Nem Cá, Tủy Bò x Tôm Tái and Bò Tái Xoài, followed by Bánh Khoai Mì Nướng for dessert. La Calle Bar will contribute three signature cocktails, including a Bloody Mary x Absolut Tabasco. DJ Lenny Funk will be on the decks, with happy hour from 7pm to 9pm.

The inside scoop: For the Cruz Godoy pop-up, book by direct message to @cruzgodoy.ba. For Narda Comedor, reservations are available via WhatsApp at 11 6131-0664. The Saigón event is first come, first served, with no reservations, until stocks last.

Where: Soler 4388 (Saigón Noodle Bar), Palermo; Godoy Cruz 1725 (Cruz Godoy), Palermo; Sucre 664 (Narda Comedor), Belgrano.

On October 18, at both lunch and dinner, Ostende, the vintage-style restaurant in Colegiales, will offer a three-course menu created especially for the occasion and not listed on its regular menu. It starts with béchamel croquettes filled with braised beef shank, followed by hake ravioloni with turmeric and dill, served with lime and caper cream, and finishes with a Basque-style dulce de leche cheesecake.

Meanwhile, also on Sunday, Enero is offering a three-course menu for $65,000 per person at two locations. At its Costanera Norte restaurant, lunch and dinner will be available, while Enero Tortugas will serve lunch only. The meal begins with a mushroom, Brie and caramelised onion tatin, followed by caramelle pasta filled with king crab in a saffron and lemon cream sauce, and finishes with chocolate, red berries and cocoa crumble.

If your mum prefers sushi, Namida is offering a Nikkei sushi experience with special touches designed to turn the occasion into a family memory. The restaurant will serve its regular menu, with an added personalised surprise: when booking, children can send a photo of themselves with their mum, along with a dedication. These will be waiting at the table alongside a flower and a celebratory glass of Catena Zapata sparkling Chardonnay. Each family will also receive a new Polaroid-style photo as a keepsake.

At República del Fuego, every mum who comes to celebrate will receive a glass of wine, a dessert and a flower. The restaurant is all about intense flavours and cooking over live fire.

The inside scoop: Reservations at Ostende can be made via WhatsApp. Enero and República del Fuego also accept bookings through Meitre.

Where: Virrey Loreto 3303, Colegiales (Ostende); El Salvador 5783, Palermo (Namida); Avenida Rafael Obligado 7180, Costanera Norte, and Alejandro Korn 3160, Tortugas (Enero); Juncal 2682/4, Recoleta (República del Fuego).