The best things to do this weekend

Featuring the Great Wall Festival, Africa Week, Run to the Beat and more

Despite the blistering start to this week, this weekend's set to bring respite with a slight cool change (cool is a relative term, we're still talking temperatures in the mid-20s here). Make the most of the weekend with our picks of the best things to do.

Quick reminder, it's also International Museum Day on Friday! With roughly 100 museums offering free admission, it's a great opportunity to get in the know, or to check out Beijing's weird and wonderful side.

THINGS TO DO

Great Wall Festival 2018

Huaibei Great Wall Campsite. Sat 19-Sun 20. 680RMB (two-day general admission); 980RMB (two-day VIP pass)

One of Beijing's best outdoor festivals returns with a killer lineup, including Chris Liebing, Carl Craig, Nina Kraviz (pictured), Dixon and Recondite. There's a 5km fun run before the festival starts, while the actual party kicks off at 2pm, with four stages packed with local talent including Ou Yang, Huang Weiwei and Shen Yue. 

Run to the Beat 2018

Ming Tombs Reservoir. Sun 20. 128RMB (5km); 188RMB (10km); 228RMB (half-marathon)

Taking place this Sunday at the Ming Tombs Reservoir in Changping, Beijing's first music half marathon features live bands and DJs performing alongside the course to entertain runners. The party then continues at the main stage after participants cross the finish line.

Africa Week 2018

Various locations. May 18-26. Free

This May sees the city's first-ever Africa Week take place, bringing with it a fantastic programme of events dedicated to highlighting the very best of Beijing's African community, across the arts, food, business and much more. Click here for a full rundown of all the happenings.

FOOD AND DRINK

Joe Schofield at Atmosphere

Atmosphere. Thu 17-Sat 19. 149RMB per cocktail

Born in the north of England, Joe Schofield quickly established himself as one of London’s 'bartenders to watch', leading to placements at internationally renowned cocktail bars, such as the Zetter Townhouse in London, the American Bar (ranked number one on the World’s 50 Best Bars 2017) and Beaufort Bar at the Savoy. He guests at Atmosphere over three nights this week serving up a unique multi-sensory menu.

MUSIC

Serge Teyssot-Gay + Xie Yugang

Yugong Yishan. Fri 18. 150RMB; 100RMB (presale)

Xie Yugang, frontman of acclaimed Chinese instrumental rock band Wang Wen, meets Serge Teyssot-Gay, legendary guitarist and co-founder of French rock outfit Noir Désir. Currently touring China in support of their collaborative album A Nano World, the two musicians will heading to Yugong Yishan for an unmissable live performance.

Mark Guiliana           

Blue Note. Fri 18-Sat 19. 380RMB

One of the most influential drummers of his generation, Mark Guiliana leads a vanguard of drummers creating a new vernacular, merging acoustic drums with electronic beats. Along with leading his own groups, Guiliana has also appeared on David Bowie's Grammy Award-winning final album and collaborated with Donny McCaslin, Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron and John Scofield.

Bemet

Dusk Dawn Club. Sun 20. 120RMB; 100RMB (presale)

Hod Moshonov aka Bemet is an Israeli keytarist, and frankly, need we say more? In town for this year's MTA Festival, the multi-talented musician is also performing at DDC on Sunday, bringing his unique brand of psychedelic electronia to the Gulou masses.

NIGHTLIFE

MTA Festival

Tianmo Nature Scenic Area, Hebei. Fri 18-Sun 20. 450RMB (one-day pass); 900RMB (two-day pass); 1,280RMB (three-day pass)

With interactive installations and an available campsite, this three-day fest has gained an enviable rep for showcasing big names before they were big. Check out headliners Tove Lo, Nervo (pictured), Kehlani plus a raft of local artists at this rollicking desert party. 

Carnage

One Third. Fri 18. 200RMB; 160RMB (early bird)

Though best known for producing hit singles for Lil Pump, Young Thug and Mac Miller, Carnage is also a talented DJ in his own right, having headlined festivals such as Tomorrowland and Ultra Music, along with writing hit singles 'Incredible' and 'Toca' with Timmy Trumpet and KSHMR.

Disco Extravaganza

Migas Mercado. Sat 19. Free

Queens unite on the dance floor! Beijing's most fabulous party brings together disco tunes, fierce drag queens and phenomenal live performances. It’s summertime, so be sure to dress dangerously inappropriately.

STAGE

The Bolshoi Ballet: Le Corsaire

NCPA. Fri 18-Sun 20. 280-1,280RMB

One of the world's top ballet companies returns to Beijing with Le Corsaire, the swashbuckling drama inspired by a Lord Byron poem that includes captive maidens, rich sultans, an awe-inspiring shipwreck and plenty of romance. Featuring logic-defying leaps and stunning showmanship, this is one of dance's most entertaining ballets.

The King's Singers

NCPA. May 20. 240-680RMB

The King’s Singers were officially established on 1 May 1968, formed by six recently graduated choral scholars from King’s College, Cambridge. Their vocal lineup was (by chance) two countertenors, a tenor, two baritones and a bass, and the group has never wavered from this formation since. 2018 marks the 50th birthday of the group, and to celebrate, The King’s Singers are presenting their anniversary season Gold. 

ART

Digital Revolution

WF Central. Until May 20. 150RMB; 100RMB (weekday ticket)

WF Central has teamed up with London's Barbican Centre to bring Digital Revolution to Asia for the first time. Curated by Barbican International Enterprises, this interactive exhibition features over 140 works, including pieces from world-famous musicians and entrepreneurs like Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, Björk, Paul Franklin (visual effects designer for Inception) and Chris Milk, music video director for music stars such as the Chemical Brothers, U2 and Kanye West.

Olafur Eliasson: The unspeakable openness of things

Red Brick Contemporary Art Museum. Until Aug 12. 160RMB; 120RMB (weekdays)

A retrospective of Olafur Eliasson's most iconic works, The unspeakable openness of things is the revered Icelandic-Danish artist's first solo show in Beijing. Encompassing Red Brick Museum's eight exhibition halls, visitors will be able to journey through a series of large-scale immersive installations – including Eliasson's seminal work The blind pavilion – which playfully explore light, mist, geometry and illusion.

FILM

A Quiet Place

In cinemas around Beijing Fri 18

Like Aliens retooled as a militant librarian's fantasy, actor-director John Krasinski's relentlessly effective horror film thrives on a nifty premise: in a post-apocalyptic world, a family holes up in a farmhouse and tries to survive in a countryside where the slightest sound brings out deadly monsters. For our full review, click here.

Avengers: Infinity War

On general release until Jun 8

Aptly titled, the nearly three-hour Infinity War pours on the action – some of it grandly operatic, some of it breezy and fun – but mainly, it's about a big purple goon on a bling quest. Genocidal Thanos (Josh Brolin, ready to grumble) hopes to collect six Infinity Stones for his Pandora bracelet and thereby enact a purge of 'half of humanity'. For our full review, click here.

For more cracking things to do this weekend, hit 'Read more'.

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