Free things to do this weekend ft. Ride Print Repeat + more

The Troll of Manchester Cathedral at Manchester Cathedral
This weekend, Manchester Cathedral have teamed up with local children’s author Alice Sargent to present this family activity programme based around her new book, which is all about trolls. The cathedral’s visitor centre contains the remains of the 15th Century ‘hanging bridge’, which is also the fictional home of Sargent’s troll and where she will be reading from the book. Following the reading, there will be mask-making and a troll trail, where local history and the characters of the book will come to life.
Fri 18 Aug – Sat 19 Aug, Manchester Cathedral, Victoria Street, Manchester, M3 1SX. 11am – 12.30pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk

Ride Print Repeat at City Centre (pictured)
Manchester Craft & Design Centre resident Nell has a very unique printing press: It’s not located in an office or a dusty workshop, but instead mounted on the back of her bike, and this Saturday she’ll be taking it on a little tour of the city centre, giving print demonstrations as she goes. Between 12pm and 1pm she’ll be at the Craft and Design Centre, before moving on to the Rapha Clubhouse, Plant NOMA and back to the Craft and Design Centre for one final session. You can pick up your own printed postcard if you want, or just come watch a seasoned printer at work.
Sat 19 Aug, Manchester Craft & Design Centre, 17 Oak Street, Manchester, M4 5JD. 12pm – 1pm, 4.15pm – 5pm,
Rapha Clubhouse, 5 St Ann’s Passage, Manchester, M2 6AD. 1.30pm – 2.30pm,
Plant NOMA, Redfern, Dantzic Street, Manchester, M60 0AE. 3pm 4pm,
www.craftanddesign.com

Taste the Diff’rence Block Party at Oddest
Manchester’s premier hip hoppers Taste The Dff’rence are staging an all-day takeover of Chorlton’s Oddest Bar this Saturday, boasting twelve hours of DJs, MCs and music makers. See our full preview for the full lineup.
Sat 19 Aug, Oddest, 414-416 Wilbraham Rd, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 0SD. Tel: 0161 860 7515, 2pm – 2am, www.facebook.com

Pär Strömberg Exhibition at PAPER Gallery
Weekend gallery PAPER launches its latest exhibition this weekend: A new collection of haunting charcoal and watercolour portraits from Swedish artist Pär Strömberg. Check out our extended preview for more details.
Sat 19 Aug – Sat 30 Sep, PAPER, Unit 12, Mirabel Studios, 14-20 Mirabel Street, Manchester M3 1PJ. 11am – 5pm, www.paper-gallery.co.uk

Paranormal Lecture at Common
Common’s regular counterculture night Microdosing enjoys its second instalment this Sunday, and they’re hosting a one-off multimedia guest lecture on the paranormal from Phenomena Magazine editor Steve Mera. Steve is a card-carrying parapsychologist, who’ll be talking through his mind-bending history as a UFO investigator and a student of the paranormal. Lecture aside, there’s also a full evening of music courtesy of the Stop Making Sense DJs, cosmic disco twopiece Hangin Out In Space and the Microdosing DJs.
Sun 20 Aug, Common, 39-41 Edge Street, Manchester, M4 1HW. 4pm – 12am, www.facebook.com