This week we’ve got making, dancing, drinking, gaming, eating and so much more on the agenda – all, as always, for free.

MakeFest at MOSI
From Meccano to Minecraft, programming to embroidery, you’ll find everything you need to get crafty and creative at MOSI’s first ever MakeFest. Join inventors, crafters and coders as they take over the museum for a whole weekend of activities including a giant marble run, a soldering workshop, toddler science and cloth nappy experiments, up-cycled sonic equipment and so much more.
Sat 8 & Sun 9 Aug, MOSI, Liverpool Road, M3 4FP, 10am – 5pm, FREE, www.mosi.org.uk

Manchester Carnival (pictured)
This weekend sees the much anticipated return of Manchester Carnival, which hits up its spiritual home of the recently revamped Alexandra Park. The region’s biggest celebration of Caribbean culture, this year’s theme of Calypso Fever will celebrate the music, dance, food and theatre of the West Indies, while the various stages will play host to dub, reggae, roots and dub acts from across the UK. If you don’t go for anything else, make sure you bob along to see the parade, the carnival’s undoubted jewel in the crown.
Sat 8 & Sun 9 Aug, Alexandra Park, 180 Russell Street, Moss Side, M16 7JL, 12pm – 8.15pm, FREE, themanchestercarnival.com

Manchester Jazz Festival After Party
This weekend the Manchester Jazz Festival draws to a close – but not without a good send off on Saturday night with an after party at Band on the Wall. Featuring live music from up-and-coming jazz outfit Kalakuta and Manchester/Birmingham group Glowrogues – plus DJ Matthew Halsall will also be filling the gaps. This one’s free, but you’ll need to register here.
Sat 8 Aug, Band on the Wall, 25 Swan Street, M4 5JZ, From 10pm, FREE (registration required), www.bandonthewall.org

Magic Rock Food and Drink Festival
As lovely as Manchester may be, it’s always good to find an excuse for a day trip – especially when said day trip involves food and booze. Enter Magic Rock’s first ever Food and Drink Festival, which looks set to take over the brewery’s new tap room with an all-dayer of family fun, street food from Banh Mi Booth, Noisette Bakery, Fire and Salt and Dark Woods Coffee, DJs The Boy Oliver and Lennie from the Colne Valley Funk & Soul Club, plus great beers from the North Western beer heroes. Trains to Huddersfield take as little as 30 minutes, so get outta town.
Sun 9 Aug, Magic Rock Tap, Willow Park Business Centre, Huddersfield, HD1 5EB, 12 – 8pm, FREE, www.facebook.com

Board games at Port Street Beer House
As if you ever need an excuse to hole up in a pub all day, the folk from Dale Street’s Travelling Man are temporarily camping out at Port Street Beer House this weekend, bringing with them a whole bunch of board games. You’ll be able to play all day long, while sampling some of Port Street’s famed craft beer action. A good Sunday combo if ever there was one, no?
Sun 9 Aug, Port Street Beer House, 39-41 Port Street, M1 2EQ, 12pm – late, FREE, www.portstreetbeerhouse.co.uk

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

Fri 7 Aug - Sun 9 Aug
Words:
Jess Hardiman
Published on:
Tue 4 Aug 2015