Free things to do ft. Northwest Zinefest, Echo Trace, Riot Jazz + Secret Folk Club

You’d think after a month of two bank holidays the city would be tired of entertaining you. But you’d be wrong, as there’s tons of great stuff to do this weekend – yep, all for free.

Northwest Zinefest
Taking place at the Star and Garter, Northwest Zinefest promises 37 stallholders including Animated Review, Henry Press, Nous Magazine, Emily Chappell, Cool Schmool Zines, Becky Kidner, The Common Swings, Will Be Betrayed, Miss Heather Comics, Will Tapply, The Fancy Island and many others – along with a communal table for you to flog your work too. As if that’s not enough bang for the buck you never paid, there’s also drop-in workshops throughout the day such as feminist zine making with Queen of the Track and The Chapess zine and DIY Screenprinting with Jenna Alldread (free tickets have all already been snapped up we’re afraid).
Sat 30 May, Star and Garter, 18 – 20 Fairfield Street, M1 2QF, 11am – 5pm, FREE, www.facebook.com

Central Library presents Echo Trace
The last few months have seen five local libraries team up for a joint creative art project that culminates this Saturday with Echo Trace (named after the acoustics of Central Library’s reading room). Here, you’ll find sound sculptures, improvised musical performances, a local history installation combining photography, film and audio, plus canapes inspired by literary works from the total hero that is Mary-Ellen McTague – which will also be accompanied by prose by Emma Jane Unsworth. Then everything concludes with Chaos to Order, a musical bash featuring 15 rising stars on the local scene. Read our full preview here.
Sat 30 May, Manchester Central Library, St Peters Square, M2 5PD, 10.30am – 5pm, FREE entry, www.librarylive.co.uk

Riot Jazz (pictured) at Gorilla
Now then, we like free gigs – but we love Riot Jazz. Combine the two and you’ve got something really pretty good taking place at Gorilla this Saturday night. Manchester’s brass-heavy jazz combo takes to the stage to put you in summer spirits, and they’ll be joined by DJ Rich Reason and Disco Mums, a collective of all-female local DJs and seasoned clubbers.
Sat 30 May, Gorilla, Arch 54/56 Whitworth Street West, M1 5WW, 8pm – 1am, FREE when you buy a Berliner beer, www.facebook.com

Secret Folk Club at Band on the Wall
Band on the Wall fires up the PA for free once again this Sunday with its chilled-out Secret Folk Club. This time, you’ll be serenaded by headliner and Parisian born singer songwriter, Tiki Black, whose piano-based music stems from a love for Cameroonian music and French Chanson song. On the bill there’s also looper and writer Marc Constantine and Honeyfeet guitiarist and folk bluesman Rik Warren.
Sun 31 May, Band on the Wall, 25 Swan Street, M4 5JZ, FREE, www.bandonthewall.org

Know of any good freebies coming up? Email jess at manchesterwire dot co dot uk with the deets.