Free things to do in Manchester this week ft. Levenshulme windows trail, Storytime with Father Christmas + more

Levenshulme locals will already be familiar with Levenshulme Community Christmas Windows, which for the past two years have lit up the streets of Levy with festive sparkle. This year, the trail will take a slightly different form: use the map to follow a fairy-lit, socially distanced window trail and spot all the Levenshulme businesses and homes who have brought a little light to dark times.

Sam Sin from Koi Kitchen is the popular host of a series of face-to-face and virtual Chinese cooking tutorials. Now, she’s giving some fascinating insight into Chinese cooking in the winter months in her virtual talk with the University of Manchester. She’ll also be sharing her recipe for Crunchy Toffee Apples, a classic Chinese dessert – this is a must-see talk for any fans of international cooking.

If you’re feeling a little lethargic due to the limited daylight hours, this free hour of vinyasa yoga could be just the thing to stretch you out and perk you up. Led by experienced teacher Jenn Dodgson, you can tune in online from wherever you are and follow along at home.

If your little ones are missing out on a lot of the usual festive Santa experiences, Z-arts have the perfect solution. They’ve managed to get ahold of Father Christmas himself before his busiest time of year gets into gear, and he’ll be hosting a special festive storytime virtually via Facebook Live.

Barton’s Booty Sale is back – just in time for the last shopping weekend before Christmas. If you’re still seeking gifts for a few of the hard to buy for, then you need to stop by and have a browse of their vast selection of independent traders. There’s something for everyone, from candles and prints to jewellery (and plenty in between) as well as a mulled wine and bratwurst stall for a real market vibe. It’s taking place on both Saturday and Sunday, so make sure to stop by!