Free things to do this weekend ft. Bill Kelliher, No Parking + more

Lightwaves 2017 at Salford Quays
Salford Quays’ Lightwaves – a huge installation of digital light art – returns to Salford Quays this weekend. Free and fully open to the public, you’ll be able to take in the dazzling light sculptures every night until Sunday 17 December. See our full preview for more information.
Fri 8 Dec – Sun 17 Dec, The Quays, Salford, M50 2EQ. Tel: 0161 876 2106, 12pm – 10.30pm, quaysculture.com

Didsbury Winter Market at Ivy Church
The Ivy Church in Didsbury is hosting a winter market this Saturday, which is the perfect place to pick up any festive artisanal gifts you might want. As well as the usual stalls and street food, this market also boasts a genuine real-life reindeer. Check out our full preview for all the details.
Sat 9 Dec, Ivy Church, 97 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2GP. 11am – 5pm, www.facebook.com

Bill Kelliher Guitar Clinic at PMT Manchester
This Saturday you can catch a free guitar clinic at the PMT music shop with Bill Kelliher, the rhythm guitarist from vaunted Atlantan heavy metal band Mastodon, just ahead of their evening show at the Academy. Kelliher will be performing live in-store, and also taking audience questions, so whether you’re a serious metalhead or a casual guitar fan, this should be a fascinating hour. If you’re feeling flush, there will also be an opportunity to buy a BK-600, Bill Kelliher’s signature guitar manufactured by the ESP Guitar Company. He might even sign it for you – and for the £1163 price tag, it’d be bold of him not to.
Sat 9 Dec, PMT Manchester, 5 Red Rose Retail Centre, Regent Road, Manchester M5 3GR. 6pm – 7pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk 

No Parking Exhibition Launch at RedBankCo (pictured)
Hidden Green Quarter café bar RedBankCo hosts this exhibition launch on Saturday evening. It’s called No Parking and it’s a showcase of new work by local artists Caroline Dowsett and Samuel Clements. Dowsett is an ilustrator who’s produced work for many organisations, including Manchester Print Fair and this very website, and Clements is an accomplished textile artist. They’ve collaborated on a number of pieces for this show, which pushes the limits of what can be done with grayscale, but they’ll be displaying some individual pieces too. DJs from Manchester NTS radio show Hangin’ Out in Space will be providing the soundtrack to this preview night.
Sat 9 Dec, RedbankCo, 22 Red Bank, Green Quarter, Manchester, M4 4HF. 6pm – 11pm, www.facebook.com

Harry Potter Day at Central Library
You can enter the wizarding world of Harry Potter this Sunday at Central Library, as the historic St. Peter’s building is taken over by the denizens of J.K. Rowling’s gangbusters fantasy stories. Actors will be portraying many of Rowling’s beloved characters, including Harry, Snape, Dumbledore and half-giant Rubeus Hagrid (who here will be represented by an ordinary-sized man). Throughout the afternoon, they will be hosting a number of themed activities such as the battle of the wizards, the sorting hat, as well as free magic-themed arts and crafts.
Sun 10 Dec, Central Library, St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 5PD. Tel: 0161 234 1983, 12pm – 4pm, www.librarylive.co.uk

Odd Bod Art Market at Common
Curated by Common’s art group Colouring Club, The Odd Bod Art Market returns to the Northern Quarter Bar for another afternoon of reasonably-priced, reasonably-strange art goodies. Experimental art, jewellery, textiles and zines are all on offer from a roster of over 20 contributing artists including heavy hitters like Nous Magazine and DR.ME, with more stalls to be announced on the day.
Sun 10 Dec, Common, 39-41 Edge Street, Manchester, M4 1HW. 4pm – 8pm, www.facebook.com