The City of Film launch takes place tomorrow afternoon at City Hall. It’s the beginning of an exciting programme in Bradford to celebrate the award of the UNESCO accolade.

Thursday, March 18

* The Lord Mayor’s Civic Reception, City Hall, 4pm-6pm. Launch of City of Film weekend. Children and their relatives from the My City, My Family, My Film project will see the first public screening of their work.

* World Record Attempt – the world’s biggest cake. The brainchild of Anthony Hegney, general manager for Digby Trout Restaurants, which runs the National Media Museum’s cafe. The cake to be shown off at the Lord Mayor’s reception.

* People’s Première * Film-themed meals from a special menu at Symposium Ale & Wine Bar, Idle. Until Sunday, March 21

Friday, March 19

* Pop-up Cinema, Centenary Square * Spot Laurel & Hardy lookalikes around the city centre * Staff in The Perfume Shop, Boots, New Look & River Island dress up as their favourite movie stars throughout City of Film weekend (Fri/Sat/Sun) * Hollywood comes to Bradford with City of Film’s take on the immortal letters that adorn the Hollywood Hills, to be installed in Centenary Square * Cult Fiction Symposium, 1pm, Bradford Playhouse. Explore gender representation in film with Dr Lance Pettitt (Northern Film School) and others. Free entry * Bradford movie guided tour of the city centre with Yarn Spinners Tours, starting 2pm, £5 (£3 concessions), call 07980 943391.

* Mad Hatter’s Unbirthday Tea, Great Victoria Hotel, 3pm-6.30pm. Indulge yourself for £15 for two (£2 goes to Leukaemia Research). Pre-book a cake and candles (£5 supplement) and celebrate not being a year older * Omar Khan’s restaurant, 30 Little Horton Lane. Fabulous food at a special City of Film price – present your Bradford International Film Festival ticket in return for ten per cent off your bill * Arts of Place launch, 6pm-8pm, Impressions Gallery. Meet the artists behind Arts of Place, a creative programme of temporary events, commissions and learning to raise cultural aspirations for Bradford’s City Park. Free entry, including refreshments

Saturday, March 20

* Pop-up Cinema, Centenary Square * Spot Laurel & Hardy lookalikes around the city centre * Mad Hatter’s Unbirthday Tea, Great Victoria Hotel * Omar Khan’s, special City of Film price * Roald Dahl Family Funday, all day, Central Library. Running in tandem with the National Media Museum’s weekend, a chance for children to enjoy the best of the man, while adults pit their wits in the City of Film quiz. Free entry * Zouk Tea Bar Cookery Class, 1312 Leeds Road, 10am. Join a small, select group (15-ish) to learn how to make the finest Indian cuisine from scratch, then dine like a Bollywood star as you pull up a chair and enjoy the fruits of your labours * Architecture & Cinema Symposium, 10am-6pm, National Media Museum. Presented by the University of Bradford, a one-day symposium for City of Film. Speakers include film-maker Murray Grigor, David B Clarke, author of The Cinematic City, UCL’s Mark Tewdwr-Jones, Richard Gray from the Cinema Theatre Association, and Justin Jaeckle from the Architecture Foundation. Limited capacity, pre-booking advised. Free entry, including lunch, refreshments, screenings.

* Bradford movie guided tour of the city centre with Yarn Spinners Tours, starting 10.30am, £5 (£3 concessions), call 07980 943391.

* Midland Hotel, lunch and A Private Function, 12pm. What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than in the company of a leisurely lunch and a fine film from one of Britain’s national treasures? Former BIFF Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Michael Palin was a guest here, so it’s fitting that, to celebrate City of Film, the Midland Hotel is hosting a three-course lunch and coffee followed by a screening of A Private Function. Cost: £17.50, limited capacity.

* Midland Hotel, Celebrating Jean Simmons – dinner and Life At The Top, 6.45pm. In the year that British cinema lost one of its finest daughters, the Midland Hotel celebrates the life and work of Jean Simmons. The evening comprises a four-course dinner, then a private screening of Life At The Top. Cost: £25.

Sunday, March 21

* Mad Hatter’s Unbirthday Tea, Great Victoria Hotel * Omar Khan’s, special City of Film price