What's On North 9-16 Jun: World Gin Day

Each week The Skinny team hand pick a selection of the best events from the Northwest cultural calendar to provide you with this here top ten guide to the most exciting goings on for the week ahead. From gigs, plays, and exhibitions, to spoken word, pop-up foodie events, and one-off film screenings, we give you the insider's guide to things to do in Liverpool, Manchester and beyond every Thursday morning.

World Gin Day
Sat 11 Jun

This Saturday is World Gin Day, providing a great excuse (as if you needed one! We know what you're like! etc.) to sup on some mighty fine drinks. If you fancy knocking up a bevvy or two yourself, we've picked out some classic gin cocktails you can make at home. We've also compiled a guide to what to drink and where in Manchester, with tip-offs from some of the city's greatest bars – but if it's further afield you're looking, we also asked The Gin Journey's Leon Dalloway to pick out the best gin joints across the UK. How about that for gin-based fun?

Photo: Didriks

Manchester Beer Week
Various venues, Manchester. Fri 10-Sun 19 Jun, times vary

More booze-related revelry for you thirsty Mancs, as Manchester Beer Week takes over the city with squillions of tastings, collabs, beer-matched dinners and more. Highlights include A Taste of Manchester's Brewing Past at Smithfield Tavern, which sees historic Manchester beers recreated for one night; a brewers' market in Exchange Square; the Manchester debut of Haarlem-based brewery Jopen at PLY; live art from local illustrator Hammo and beers from Alphabet Brewing Co at Kosmonaut (ft. free beer for earlybirds!), and a launch do for this year's Indy Man Beer Con.

Positive Vibration Festival of Reggae
Constellations, Liverpool. Fri 10-Sat 11 Jun, times vary

Now that the summery weather has (kind of) joined us, it seems as good a time as any to welcome the return of Liverpool's favourite reggae festival, Positive Vibration. The line-up of live music, dub sound systems, food, drink, record fairs and a reggae poster exhibition is held up more than ably by huge names including Mad Professor, Trojan Sound System and Don Letts (pictured).

Long Division Festival
Various venues, Wakefield. Fri 10-Sun 12 Jun, times vary

Celebrating independence and DIY culture, this year's Long Division bash takes place over multiple venues across Wakefield this weekend. Enjoy three days of music from the likes of Field Music, Gang of Four, Los Campesinos! (pictured), Brix and The Extricated, Bis, The Membranes, Emma Pollock, Malcolm Middleton and more. Check out the full line-up here.

Parquet Courts
Invisible Wind Factory, Liverpool. Wed 15 Jun, 7.30pm

NYC rockers Parquet Courts return to the live setting with their most recent album, Human Performance, released via Rough Trade in April. How's it sounding? Well, pretty good, actually: we gave it a neat four stars, thanks to a much-needed return to the grubby, plentiful hooks that we love them for, following last year's "wilfully difficult" EP, Monastic Living. Read our interview with co-vocalist and guitarist Austin Brown here.

ADVERTISEMENT: Free fizz for graduates at Thaikhun
Thaikhun, Manchester.

Sawadee kha, all you hard-working students! Exam season is over and you deserve a treat. We can’t send you all to Thailand but we have the next best thing: join us in Thaikhun for great cocktails and authentic Thai street food. If you have valid UNiDAYS ID or student card you can get 20% off your food bill for up to 6 people, so bring your friends too. Graduation is coming up so make sure you book your table with us to celebrate, and we’ll give you a glass of fizz on the house. Click here to book a table.

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Max Graef Band
Soup Kitchen, Manchester. Fri 10 Jun, 7pm

Berlin producer Max Graef stops by Manchester this week – though not to showcase his dextrous touch on the DJ decks. This time, it's alongside his eponymous five-piece band, in which he plays bass, who'll together play through a funk, soul and classic-infused set. Read more in our Gig Highlights column, where we've listed the Max Graef Band as one show you'd be daft to miss.

X&Y Festival
Sefton Park, Liverpool. Thu 9-Fri 10 Jun, times vary

Taking place across two double-dayers – one in June and one in July – X&Y Festival kicks off with its first instalment this week. Sefton Park will be full of the sounds of The Jackobins (pictured), Honne, Babeheaven, Club Kuru, Vitamin and more, with the likes of Beans on Toast, Frank Turner, Nai Harvest and Basement also to look forward to next month.

The Other Side of Midnight
Old Granada Studios, Manchester. Fri 10-Mon 20 Jun, 12pm

A 10-day photography exhibition celebrating the moments we get lost in in music, The Other Side of Midnight features work by internationally renowned names including Ian Tilton, Elaine Constantine, Jocelyn Bain Hogg, Tilman Brembs, Brian Cannon, Gavin Mills and many more. Together their pieces span six decades of nightclub culture, exploring the pull of the dancefloor and the memorable, immersive moments it breeds.

Photo: Amnesia ‘Together’ by Gavin Mills

Top Joe's Regular Gig
The Hatch, Liverpool. Thu 16 Jun, 7.30pm

You'll all be reet delighted to know that this week brings the return of Top Joe's Regular Gig, which is back after a successful run at the Well Space before Christmas. We're big fans, so read our Spotlight on the man himself, Top Joe, before he's joined by headline comedian Liam Pickford (pictured) and guitarist Charlie McKeon at new venue, The Hatch on Mathew Street.

Photo: Debs Marsden

Forever Manchester Week
Various venues, Manchester. Fri 10-Fri 17 Jun, times vary

A week of fundraising for local charity Forever Manchester, highlights for this one include DeCASKthlon (a decathlon-style pub crawl where you pay £1 per pub and £2 if you don't make it); gin tasting at The Pen and Pencil; a 'Dress like a Manc' day; a Curry Mile-inspired pizza at Crazy Pedro's, and, best of all, a pale ale created specially by Manchester Brewing Company called Ten Boroughs, in celebration of Greater Manchester's ten boroughs.

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