Free things to do this weekend ft. Blackjack Brewtap, Manchester Museum + Buy Art Fair

This week we’ve got bees, butterflies and the last Blackjack Brewtap of the year…

Blackjack Brewtap (pictured)
Blackjack beers open their doors for the last time this year for the bittersweet final brewtap of both the summer and 2015. As always, expect a killer roster of street food curated by the good folk of GRUB – on Friday you’ve got Lahmacun (think something resembling an Armenian/Turkish pizza, topped with minced meat and veg), whilst Saturday welcomes Maiden Taiwan, who are relatively new to the street food scene but are fast establishing their tasty and homely Taiwanese scran. And, of course, great beers, live music and good vibes.
Fri 25 – Sun 27 Sep, Blackjack Beers, 36 Gould Street, M4 4RN, Fri: 6 – 11pm, Sat: 12 – 11pm, Sun: 12 – 6pm, FREE, www.facebook.com

Buy Art Fair / Manchester Contemporary at Old Granada Studios
With works ranging in price from £50 to £5,000+, it may not end up being your cheapest weekend out, but entry to this year’s Buy Art Fair and Manchester Contemporary is completely free (booking required), meaning that you can head on over and have a good old browse. With over £1 million worth of art from over 90 galleries and artists under one roof, it’s the perfect way to see what the thriving art industry’s got to show for itself these days. Also check out this doodle art map by Manchester illustrator David Gee, which will help you pick out some other great art hotspots across the city, whilst also pointing you in the right direction for tea.
Fri 25 – Sun 27 Sep, Old Granada Studios, 11am – 5pm, FREE (book here), www.buyartfair.co.uk, www.themanchestercontemporary.com

Bees and Butterflies at Manchester Museum
Pop down to Manchester Museum this Saturday to take a peek at their amazing rooftop beehive, whilst also finding out more about the bees and butterflies in the museum’s collections. Simply drop in throughout the day to meet curators, enjoy a behind the scenes tour (11am, sign up on the day, max. 15 spaces, ages 8+) and learn about what Manchester Museum’s up to in terms of their important work pollinating plants – there will also be a chance to create butterfly or bee wings to wear as you explore!
Sat 26 Sep, Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, M13 9PL, 11am – 4pm, FREE www.manchester.ac.uk

Know of any good freebies coming up? Email jess at manchesterwire dot co dot uk with the deets.