Free things to do this weekend ft. Blackjack Brewery, SpinFest + more

Blackjack Brewery’s 5th Birthday (pictured)
Green Quarter brewery Blackjack is a titan of the local craft brewing scene and one of the area’s longest-established independent breweries. This weekend, they’re throwing open the doors and turning on all the taps in celebration of their fifth birthday: There’s going to be street food, DJs and lots and lots of beer. They’re also going to be launching a brand new beer for the thirsty birthday revellers: Gyle 1000 is the retro-futuristically monikered brew, billed as a big, hoppy EPA. Stick with Blackjack if you want to party all through this bank holiday weekend.
Fri 28 Apr – Sun 30 Apr, Blackjack Brewery, 36 Gould Street, Manchester, M4 4RN. 6pm – late, noon – late, noon – 7pm, www.facebook.com

Yoga Day at Hallé St. Peter’s
Hallé St. Peter’s in Ancoats are hosting this free, four-hour yoga and wellbeing session on Saturday. Led by Yoga Loft instructor Teresa Dennison, and featuring contributions from nutritional eating luminaries, this intensive course will have you well on the way to wellness by the time you roll up your yoga mat. See our full preview for more details.
Sat 29 Apr, Hallé St Peters, 20 Blossom Street, M4 6BF. Tel: 0161 236 9133, 10am – 2pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk

Last Chance to See Colin Binn at Salford Art Gallery
This Sunday is your last chance to catch Being There at Salford Museum & Art Gallery, a retrospective of the works of Mancunian artist Colin Binn. Binn has been cataloguing the changes to Manchester’s landscape through his art since the 1996 IRA bombing, portraying the modern city in big, bold colours. Check out our full preview for more information.
Until Sun 30 Apr, Salford Museum & Art Gallery, Peel Park, Salford, Manchester, M5 4WU. Tel: 0161 778 0800, 12pm – 4pm, www.salfordcommunityleisure.co.uk

Photography & Film Workshops at Central Library and Blackfriars House
You can catch not one, but two free workshops this weekend, run by documentary photography project Wearemcr. Inspired by Manchester International Festival’s HOME1947 commission – a series of short documentary films about the partition of India and Pakistan – and the resulting photography competition, Wearemcr are running a beginner’s photography workshop at Central Library as well as an elementary filmmaking session at MIF’s Blackfriars House headquarters. Both are led by seasoned industry professionals, and it’s a great way to pick up some new skills and maybe even pull together your own submission for the HOME1947 competition.
Sun 30 Apr, St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 5PD. 1pm – 2.30pm,
Sun 30 Apr, Blackfriars House, Parsonage, Manchester, M3 2JA. 3.30pm – 5pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk

SpinFest 17 at Oast House
Pray for some sunshine this weekend, as the Oast House is opening up for SpinFest 17 on Sunday. The bar’s outside stage will be taken over for the afternoon and evening, with acoustic duo Acoustica taking to the stage alongside several other musicians including jazzy favourites Dani Sicari & The Easy Rollers. In-between performances , you can catch snippets of host and keyboardist Shane Durrant, who’ll be tinkling the ivories to plaster over the gaps with a pleasant interlude. There’s also children’s face painting throughout the afternoon, as well as more adult-oriented body glitter applications from makeup experts Wish Upon a Sparkle, if you want to get in the true festival spirit this Sunday.
Sun 30 Apr, The Oast House, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3HF. 12.45pm – 2am, www.facebook.com