August 2009

Skyride Manchester
Sunday August 2, sees Sky, British Cycling and Manchester City Council team up, to bring Mancunians the chance to dig out their bikes and enjoy a fun day of cycling around a traffic-free 11.5km city centre route. The ride will include the sights of Chinatown, Albert Square and the Town Hall and Sportcity. You’ll even get the chance to zoom around Manchester’s world class velodrome, home of British Cycling and one of the fastest cycling tracks in the world.
http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/skyride/manchester

Mass Exodus
If cycling is a pain in the backside, that same Sunday they’ll also be the Exodus festival, which is a celebration of arts and culture brought to you by Greater Manchester’s diverse refugee communities. Featuring world music and dance from Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia, Cameroon, DR Congo, India, Kurdistan, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Zimbabwe and other countries across the globe. Look out for interactive workshops, children’s activities, international food market, world crafts and stalls. From 1pm-7pm at Urbis and in Cathedral Gardens. www.can.uk.com/exodus

Family friendly
The Family Friendly Film Festival, from August 7-16, gives you the opportunity to see places around the world without having to buy gazillions of 100ml bottles for your lotions and potions. From spooky night time screenings and behind the scenes tours of museums to filmmaking workshops and the chance to see the best in world family cinema, the festival promises to be a highlight of the summer. There's something for all ages, it will involve various venues, and everything is free to £5.
www.familyfriendlyfilmfestival.org.uk

Manchester Pride
Manchester’s annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) festival takes place from August 21-31 and although some of the events in the Gay Village are paid for, the Manchester Pride Parade (August 29) passes right through the heart of the city and a carnival atmosphere fills the streets as thousands of spectators — young and old, gay and straight, friends and family — come to see the glamorous and the outrageously fabulous people who take part. www.manchesterpride.com

Yay for free food and beer!
August is a good month for food and drinks offers in the city. Student favourite, The Deaf Institute, on Grosvenor Street, just off Oxford Road, is celebrating the summer holidays by offering a free bottle of San Miguel to everyone who orders a meal and 10 per cent of the bill for those who have tickets for events in its very cool Music Hall. Also, Mojo, fab indie club on Back Bridge Street off Deansgate is offering free chilli and nachos from 5pm-9pm throughout the summer. www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk and www.mojobar.co.uk.