Free Things to do in Manchester this weekend ft. Knock Down The House + more

Manifest Arts Festival Opening
Manifest Arts Festival starts up again for 2019 this weekend, offering a packed programme of entirely free events across Manchester and beyond. Our full preview has all the details.
Fri 12 Jul – Sun 21 Jul 2019, various locations across Manchester, Salford, Bolton and Wigan, www.manifestartsfestival.com

Contemporary Chinese Poetry at Central Library
On Saturday morning, you can catch this free translation workshop at Central Library, courtesy of MMU and the Poetry Translation Centre. Chinese poet Yu Yoyo will be leading the workshop along with translator Dave Haysom, talking about their work and how you go about translating a work of poetry into a new tongue without sacrificing any of the beauty of the language or misrepresenting the author’s intent. This event is part of a tour in support of Yoyo’s new volume My Tenantless Body, which was translated by Haysom along with British poet AK Blakemore.
Sat 13 Jul, Manchester Central Library, St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 5PD, 10am – 12pm, www.eventbrite.com

Dog Show at Sadlers Yard
Sadler’s Yard hosts this free dog show with a twist on Saturday, with alternative prizes such as ‘Gentle Giant’ replacing some of stuffy categories of traditional dog shows. Perfect for dog owners and dog spotters alike, our preview has the full lowdown.
Sat 13 Jul, Sadler’s Yard, Hanover Street, NOMA, Manchester, M60 0AB, 12pm – 5pm, www.facebook.com

YES at MIF
Manchester’s hippest venue takes over the main hub of Manchester’s biggest arts festival on Saturday afternoon and evening. During the afternoon session, they’ll be offering family-friendly activities and workshops including screen printing with Square Pegs and T-shirt design with Young Double. The party really kicks off at 4pm though, with live performances from Anti Social Jazz Club and iridescent pop three-piece Stealing Sheep , along with a DJ set from Deptford Northern Soul Club taking you into the night.
Sat 13 Jul, MIF Hub, Albert Square, Manchester, M2 5DB, 12pm – 10pm, www.facebook.com

Knock Down The House Screening at ARMR Polygon Street
On Sunday afternoon, this health food store near the Apollo plays host to a screening of Netflix’s recent documentary Knock Down The House. Screened originally at Sundance in January, before being scooped up by the streaming giant, Rachel Lears’ documentary follows the campaigns of four working-class women who were all running for seats in the US House of Representatives, including New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The event is being run by the Ardwick Labour Party, and healthy treats will be available to purchase.
Sun 13 Jul, ARMR Store Unit 2, Polygon Street, Manchester, M13 9SG, 3pm – 6pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk