Free things to do this weekend ft. Dig the City, Big Poppy Picnic + Honour

This weekend we’re bringing the big dogs in with some pretty high profile events, including the launch of Dig the City and, as this weekend marks 100 years since the outbreak of WWI, a variety of brilliant get-togethers commemorating one of our country’s most important centenaries.

Dig the City Disco
Urban gardening festival Dig the City will be your best bet for free entertainment this weekend, and one of the highlights of the week-long event is Saturday’s opening night disco. Featuring Drunk at Vogue (pictured) and Beat Boutique DJs, the garden party with a difference features some of the biggest and best names in Manchester’s nightlife scene, and with grand floral décor and a host of live performers adding to the bill, this promises to be a night out like no other. There may be a small allocation of tickets on the door, but to guarantee yourself a space on the dance floor click here to book.
Sat 2 Aug, Festival Hub, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7LF, 7 – 11pm, FREE, www.digthecity.co.uk

Honour on The Quays
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I, Honour is a large-scale outdoor music, digital art and dance event based on Greater Manchester’s waterfront. Using MediaCity buildings as a backdrop for giant projections, the event will lead audiences through the experience of war to create a platform for communal reflection. The centrepiece of the evening will come from hundreds of choral singers, who will be supported by dancers, projected text and fireworks in the largest outdoor event of its kind this year.
Sat 2 Aug, The Piazza, MediaCityUK, Salford, M50 2EQ, 9.45pm (Performance starts at 10pm), FREE, www.quaysculture.com

Big Poppy Picnic at Ordsall Hall
This Sunday sees a vintage style picnic in the beautiful gardens of Ordsall Hall, complete with sing-alongs to wartime songs, an arts and crafts marquee, film screenings and plenty of traditional fare. Funded by the Arts Council, the event also blends performance, music, poetry and artwork as part of Poppy, a First World War Centenary project run by Salford Community Leisure’s Arts Development team, meaning that among all the jovial fun of the day you’ll also get a chance to honour the past. Read our full preview here.
Sun 3 Aug, Ordsall Hall, 322 Ordsall Lane, Ordsall, Salford, M5 3AN, 2 – 4pm, FREE, www.salfordcommunityleisure.co.uk

Know of any upcoming free weekend events worth shouting about? Email jess at manchesterwire dot co dot uk with the deets.