Free things to do this week ft. Shopping, Comedy Balloon + more

MCR Student Night Out
It’s that time of year again! It’s the time when a fresh crop of wide-eyed teenagers descend upon the city hungry for education, only to be dragged under by a loud, boozy undercurrent – but in among the cheap club nights and fairs where you can buy awful posters is this huge shopping event. Registration entitles you to all kinds of discounts at places you’ll probably never be able to afford to shop at again, distributed around the city centre’s many retail nodes. Aside from the shopping, there’ll also be entertainment from some of Manc’s most recognisable DJs and a selection of street food stalls in St. Ann’s Square. Some Northern Quarter bars have also got in on the action and are throwing in drink promotions. Check the website for full details and pre-registration. If you’re not a student, however, you’ll have to get used to paying full price for things.
Tue 29 Sep, Manchester City Centre, 4pm – 9pm, www.myunidays.com

Bad Language at The Castle
Spoken word aficionados Bad Language run these regular nights at the Castle, and in spite of the name, they’re anything but obscene. This one features the words of writer Kerry Hadley-Pryce, whose novel The Black Country was published earlier this month. The night also features open mic slots, for Manchester’s best and brightest young writers and poets.
Wed 30 Sep, Castle Hotel, 66 Oldham St, M4 1LE, 7.30pm – 10.30pm, www.badlanguagemcr.com

Comedy Balloon’s 15th birthday at Ape & Apple
The Balloon is not only Manchester’s longest-running open mic comedy night, but one of its longest-running comedy night’s full-stop. Having played a part in forging the early careers of many noteworthy northern comics – including Jason Manford and Alan Carr – it continues to give stage time to comedians both new and seasoned. This 15th birthday spectacular is bound to have a few surprises thrown in with the free funnies – and it pays to swing by early as there’s always the possibility of winning a free drink.
Wed 30 Sep, Ape & Apple, 28-30 John Dalton St, M2 6HQ, 7.30pm – 11pm, www.comedyballoon.wordpress.com

Taste The Diff’rence at Odd Bar (pictured)
Promoters Taste the Diff’rence have been putting on the best hip-hop nights in manchester for years and years. Now the TTD DJ’s have got a bi-monthly (twice a month, not once every two months) residency at Odd Bar on Thomas Street, where they spin old school and new school after school, and work from every lyric-spitting prophet of rap’s broad church. Perfect place get crunk on a Thursday.
Thu 1 Oct, Odd Bar, 30-32 Thomas St, Northern Quarter, M4 1ER, 8pm, www.oddbar.co.uk