Free things to do in Manchester this weekend ft. Supergestures + more

Withington Women’s Weekender (pictured)
Our first pick of free things to do in Manchester this weekend is this bumper two-day, two-venue event in Withington to mark 100 years of women’s suffrage, and to celebrate strong Mancunian women. The Withington Women’s Weekender kicks off on Friday night, with a pub quiz at Solomon’s Café Bar based around the theme of strong women – so if you know your Pankhursts from your Patti Smiths, you should try your luck at scooping a prize. The quiz if free, but donations to women’s charities are encouraged, and the its followed by an open mic and DJ sets running into the night. For gentler pace, St. Paul’s Church Hall will be hosting an afternoon tea event on Saturday with arts, crafts and wellbeing activities.
Fri 2 Mar, Solomon’s Café Bar, 447-449 Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 4AN. 7.30pm,
Sat 3 Mar, St Paul’s Church Hall, 491 Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 4AW. 1pm – 5pm,
www.eventbrite.co.uk

Supergestures at City Centre
Want to be part of a huge public art project that explores people’s relationships to the city through lights, electronics and mixed media? Supergestures is a project developed by Singapore-born Ling Tan, an artist and wearable technology researcher, who worked alongside young people from Manchester to bring the project to life. The performance involves participants donning a specially-constructed light-up LED powersuit, with sensors and audio feedback creating an immersive experience blurring the lines between performer and audience. It’s open to anyone over 15, so sign up quick via their website if you want to get involved. UPDATE: Supergestures has been postponed to 10 March because of the weather.
Sat 3 Mar, City centre (exact location emailed to participants), 4.30pm – 6.30pm, www.supergestures.com

Free for Arts Festival at PLANT NOMA
The Free for Arts Festival started in 2009, and each year they hand over control of the programme to a new creative team with one proviso – all events must be free to attend. This festival is themed around dreams, fantasy and fairytales and features work from all different mediums. See our full preview for more information.
Sat 3 Mar, PLANT NOMA, Redfern, Dantzic Street, Manchester, M60 0AE. 7pm – 10.30pm, www.facebook.com

Corporation Pop #3 at Fuel Café Bar
Promoters Corporation Pop have teamed up with the kids from Salford Zine Library to present this, their third gig at Fuel Café Bar in Withington. Headlining the night is a solo slot from Ellis Jones of sprawling Bristolian indiepop outfit Trust Fund. Supporting Ellis is noisy female duo and concept band Whatevers, and the indescribable Bird Bath. After the bands, the phonejack DJs of Corporation Pop will be queuing up a Spotify playlist of the finest pop, pop-punk, electropop and anything else that can prefixed/suffixed with ‘pop’.
Sat 3 Mar, Fuel Café Bar, 448 Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 3BW. 8pm – 1am, www.facebook.com

Last Chance to See the Reformation at John Rylands Library
This Sunday is your last chance to catch this exhibition on the reformation and the birth of protestantism, which includes artifacts such as Tyndale’s Bible (the first Bible translated into English) and a handwritten letter from the pen of Martin Luther himself. Check out our full preview for more details.
Until Sun 4 Mar 2018, The John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH. Tel: 0161 306 0555, 12pm–5pm, www.library.manchester.ac.uk