Free things to do this weekend ft. Great CityGames, Low Four + more

Great CityGames on Deansgate
One thing that doesn’t often get a look-in in this column is live athletics – but here we are, with the Great CityGames rolling round this weekend. You can catch the thrill of live track and field – featuring the likes of Greg Rutherford, and other international stars – from the food-and-booze-proximate setting of Deansgate – it will be a sunny day, after all. See our full preview for more information
Fri 26 May, Near the Great Northern, Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4EN. 6pm, www.greatcitygames.org

Bank Holiday Brewtap at Blackjack Brewery (pictured)
All through this weekend, Green Quarter institution Blackjack will be hosting a blowout Bank holiday Brew Tap event, and it’s going to be a large one. Blackjack will be offering dozens of taps and they’ve brought in street food, with Mac Daddies bringing the gourmet mac n cheese, and The Barnhouse Bistro serving up burgers and boerewors (a type of South African sausage). They’ve also got a roster of DJs playing straight through the weekend: Friday evening is headed up by Chris Maude and Fritz Lakes of the Devils Jukebox, Saturday welcomes Balearic Beat aficionado DJ Pip and Sunday is rounded off by record junkie Adnan Beswick.
Fri 26 May – Sun 28 May, Blackjack Brewery, 36 Gould Street, Green Quarter, Manchester, M4 4RN. 6pm – 11pm (Fri), 12pm – 11pm (Sat), 12pm – 6pm (Sun), www.facebook.com

IRIS Premiere Weekend at The Lowry
IRIS, the new installation at The Lowry from multimedia art collective Marshmallow Laser Feast, opens this weekend, and for this weekend only it’s free to see. Broken down into 15 minute ‘shows’, the installation features robots, lasers and a trapeze artists. Check out our full preview for more details.
Fri 26-Sun 28 May, The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ. Tel: 0843 208 6000, 8pm – 10pm (Fri), 11am-4pm (Sat & Sun), www.thelowry.com

Chorlton Green Market
There’s no shortage of markets this bank holiday weekend, but this one on Chorlton Green is a solid favourite. Amongst the many stalls on offer includes cheese from Winter Tarn, baked delights from Lush Brownies and Cakes, jewellery from Miss River and candles from Conte Candles. Get down and scoop up a homemade bargain.
Sat 27 May, Chorlton Green, Manchester, M21 9FQ. 11am – 5pm, www.facebook.com

Low Four Birthday Party at Old Granada Studios
To celebrate their first birthday, Salford recording studio Low Four are taking over Old Granada Studios for free gig and party. Headlining on the night is melancholy solo artist and local favourite Francis Lung, and he’s backed up by a live set from OLA and DJ sets from Dutch Uncles and Werkha. In order to get a place on the guest list for this great gig, you got to tweet out and follow Low Four’s account – you can find instructions on their website.
Sat 27 May, Old Granada Studios, Atherton Street, Manchester, M3 3GS. 8pm – late, lowfour.tv