25 brilliant things to do in Beijing this weekend

Your weekend guide to the best of Beijing

Everyone, in unison, please cross your fingers and hope this blue sky lasts over the weekend. There are great festivals to check out, things to do galore and even some great new movies in case you feel like staying indoors. Have a great weekend, Beijing.

As well as these highlights, there are many more things to do in Beijing this week: explore, enjoy and don't forget to Instagram us your snaps with #timeoutbeijing. 

Australian Writers Week

Venues around Beijing. Until Sun 24. 

Back for another year of literary greats discussing their work with leading Chinese writers, this year’s Australian Writers Week will see critically acclaimed fiction and non-fiction writers head to China from Down Under. With the current Australian Children's Laureate (Morris Gleitzman) attending, as well as best-selling author Graeme Simsion, 2017's Best Young Australian Novelist Julie Koh and best-selling non-fiction author Richard Fidler, this Writers Week is packed with unmissable talent. For more information, extract the QR code below or hear from the authors here. 

Bookworm Literary Festival

The Bookworm. Until Sun 31. 

The Bookworm Literary Festival is back for 2019 with a crackin' line-up. Covering topics as far-flung as feminist awakenings to Chinese hip-hop and women in sci-fi, you'll be out of breath before you know it on this intellectual whirlwind. This weekend, catch China correspondents discussing journalism in China, the fusing of literary and musical talent with Spittunes, a screening and talk with the filmmaker of The People's Republic of Desire and so much more. Extract the QR code below for the full list of events and links to buy tickets, and read our best of the fest. 

Meet The Podcasters

The SLab. 7pm. Fri 22. Free. 

Getting started with anything is always challenging, but launching a podcast can be even more daunting if you don't know where to start. At The SLab's Meet the Podcasters networking event, hear what six different podcasters have to say about their podcasts and their experiences about starting one in China. Podcasts that will be featured: Marketing for Creatives, ChinaEconTalk, China Tech Investor, How China Works and Middle Earth. For more information, click here. For our pick of the current top podcasts about China, click here. 

Jing A’s Annual Spring Fever Ski Break

Chongli. All day. Sat 23-Sun 24. 1,800RMB. 

For the fourth year in a row, Jing A is packing a bus with kegs and escaping the city for some spring skiing. Kiss goodbye to winter’s frosty behind and catch the last snow of the season on a boozy weekend trip to the Chongli slopes. Included in the price is transport, ski, board and gear rental, lift passes, accommodation and food, as well as free-flow Jing A brews from start to finish. Buses leave from Jing A bright and early to squeeze in two full days’ ‘skiing’, they say. Click here for more information.

Rodeo Party

Home Plate Sanlitun. 6.30pm. Sat 23. Free. 

Calling all cowboys and cowgirls: Home Plate is bringing you drink deals, amazing home cookin' and dancing all night long. Plus, there'll be a real 'live' mechanical bull for you to ride. Head over from 6.30-9pm for the whole hog buffet (138RMB) or for a go on the bull (until 9pm). Beat the bartender or other patrons to nab yourself a whole lot of prizes. For more information, click here.

Joe Wong

Shunyifornia Theatre. 8pm. Sat 23. 250RMB. 

While he's already rather famous China-wide, Joe's also made himself a name in America after winning the Great American Comedy Festival back in 2010 and for his multiple appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman. Catch him out in Shunyi this weekend for another night of laughs.

Weekend Art Market

Hotel Jen Beijing. Noon. Sun 24. Free. 

Bringing together illustrators, photographers, jewellery designers and craftsmen, the art market aims to be a platform for communication and exploration. The market will feature 15 different artists, with work that spans nature, tattoo, film, photography and more. For more information, click here. 

Save water, drink beer

Centro. All day. Fri 22. Free. 

World Water Day – Friday 22 March for those you of that need reminding – is a UN day dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of freshwater and ensuring access to clean, safe drinking water for all. To help you celebrate this year, Centro is throwing a party where you can get Tennent's 1885 Lager for just 22RMB when you pledge to change something in your life to help the water crisis (like using less water to wash dishes). While stocks last.

Ethiopian Table with Abenet Belay

4corners. 6.30pm. Fri 22. 188-288RMB. 

Ethiopian food in Beijing? You heard right. This Friday, Addis Ababa native Abenet Belay heads to 4corners to prepare her country's famous cuisine for you, for one night only. Choose from a mixed meat platter (228RMB) featuring yē'bēg tibs, alicha, dulte and more, or go for the vegetarian option that includes duba key wet, yēkik alicha and more. Pre-booking is essential, so click here for information on how to book and for full menus. 

Vegan Cocktails for Cat Tails

Side Street. 7pm. Fri 22. 160-210RMB. 

Help rescue cats while enjoying vegan cocktails and burgers. Alongside music and DJs, sip on vegan cocktails from Rollbox while all proceeds go to Tianjin meat truck rescue cats. Get one cocktail and a raffle ticket (160RMB) or a cocktail, vegan burger and raffle ticket (210RMB). To book now, extract the QR code below.

Cherry Coffee Festival

24H Gear Square Creative Park. 10am. Sat 23-Sun 24. 90RMB (one-day pass); 100RMB (two-day pass).

Gathering the best of international and local speciality coffee over one weekend, there's sure to be something for every coffee lover at Cherry Coffee Festival. Whether you're a casual sipper or full-blown coffee connoisseur, be spoilt for choice by nearly 25 coffee stalls, including some of the biggest names in the world of speciality coffee. The festival features Intelligentsia Coffee from Chicago, a roster of eight international roasters hailing from Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and more, and over ten local favourites like Barista Specialty and SOE Coffee. Food and booze will also be available for purchase courtesy of Slow Boat, Miss Muesli, Hotpress and Avocado Drum. For more information and to get presale tickets, extract the QR code below or click here to win tickets. 

El Brunch by La Social and Mosto

Mosto. 11am. Sat 23.

Brunch as the Latins do and party like La Social at this weekend's bunch party. Mosto is transforming into La Social for an epic brunch takeover and all day party. Enjoy special brunch items from La Social including the heaven-sent arepas, Cuban sandwiches and cheesy patacones while sipping on 50RMB Totuma mojitos and 150RMB Colombian mule jars all day. The regular Mosto brunch menu will also be available, and reservations are a must. Make a reservation through WeChat (ID: norristangen) or email ([e-mail]).

The Wine Republic Wine Pop-Up

Mosto. All day. Sun 24-Thu 28.

Winos rejoice: Mosto’s Wine Pop-Up is back and this time they're welcoming The Wine Republic to Mosto from Sunday 24 to Thursday 28 March. The Wine Republic and their master sommeliers will recommend some of their favourite wines at great value. Take the wine home or enjoy as you dine in with no corkage fee. Red and white wine flights will be available for just 120RMB and bottles range from 170-475RMB.

Disco for Doggies

Caravan. 9pm. Fri 22. 50RMB. 

Dancing for dogs? Sounds perfect. Head to Caravan this Friday for a special four-year anniversary celebration in collaboration with The Lost Puppies of Beijing. All proceeds from the evening will go towards a whole lot of puppies that were recently found abandoned at a construction site in Beijing. Funds raised will help the puppies find forever homes and get them through the tough next few weeks filled with vet appointments and parvo treatment. For more information and tickets, click here.

Héctor Oaks

Lantern. From 10.30pm. Fri 22. 80RMB; 50RMB (presale). 

Sonically, what's unique about Héctor Oak's sound is his uncanny sense of producing truly evocative and outstanding works of timeless techno. Powerful, deep, raw and emotive, his style juxtaposes classic and soulful Detroit and Chicago sounds with Berlin’s modern, strong and gritty atmosphere, while simultaneously infusing his trademark of authentic and enthralling melodies. For more information and to get tickets now, click here.

Wrong Assessment

Lantern. From 10pm. Sat 23. 80RMB; 50RMB (presale).

Spinning out of Milan, multi-talented physiotherapist-slash-DJ Wrong Assessment brings his Italian vibes to the city this weekend with a special party at Lantern. Supported by Weng Weng and Rhom Omit, Wrong Assessment heads up the celebrations for Blackout's second anniversary. 

Arch Enemy

Omni Space. 8.30pm. Sun 24. 580RMB. 

Over 20 years in the game hasn't blunted Arch Enemy's penchant for powerful and vibrant metal with their latest album, Covered in Blood, maintaining the incredible level of technical instrumentation the band is known for while adding a new depth of lyricism to their tracks. Expect a heavy onus on the new album, peppered with some classics from their formidable back catalogue.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Camera Stylo. 8.30pm. Thu 21. Free. 

Based on the incredible true story of a young boy in Malawi, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind tells the tale of William Kamkwamba and the windmill he built to save his family from drought. Originally a memoir, the book was turned into a Netflix feature written and directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor. 

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

On general release from Fri 22. 

Five years and two spin-off movies later, writer-producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller return to Bricksburg for a bigger, louder and brasher second Lego instalment. Everybrick hero Emmet (Chris Pratt) is still his glass-half-full self, while Lucy (Elizabeth Banks), his Master Builder girlfriend, has become more brooding as their town, now known as Apocalypseburg, takes a beating from Duplo invaders. When an alien kidnaps Lucy, Batman (Will Arnett) and pals, Emmet mounts a solo mission to rescue them.

Bohemian Rhapsody 

On general release from Friday 22. 

The afterlife has rarely been quiet for Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, who died young in 1991 after a flurry of late-life creativity. First came Wayne’s World, with Mike Myers head-banging along to Queen’s 1975 hit ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Then came a massive tribute concert in 1992 and a globetrotting stage musical, We Will Rock You in the 2000s. Now, 27 years on, comes the authorised movie biopic to push the Freddie Mercury legend even further into the realm of the unreal. Bohemian Rhapsody is as brash, loud and mask-wearing as Mercury at his most playful.

Anusman: Market Street

Tabula Rasa Gallery. Until Sat 4 May. Free. 

The second solo exhibition at Tabula Rasa by independent comic artist (and slightly questionably named) Anusman, Market Street uses traditional ink painting to convey the nuances of everyday life on Chinese streets. As the gallery writes, 'the protagonist of all these narratives, Mr Men, is an ordinary resident of a big city. He is down-to-earth, genuine, occasionally small-minded, and doesn’t care for competitions... Although he often feels out of place in this time of change, he lives peacefully in his own world.'

Marina Abramović

Light Society. Until Sat 15 Jun. 50RMB. 

Marina Abramović, a Serbian performance artist who works with video, photographs, sculpture and more, has been exploring feminist and body art for over 40 years. Her pieces challenge the relationship between artist and viewer, calling for her audiences to reinterpret the possibilities and limitations of the body and mind. This exhibition will showcase new and key works – some of which have never before been shown in China.

National Geographic: A New Age of Exploration 2.0

Beijing World Art Museum. Sat 23 Mar-Sun 23 Jun. 80-210RMB. 

Covering 130 years of the landmark magazine's stunning history, this exhibition brings to life photos taken from all corners of the earth and elaborates on the often haunting stories behind them. After doing so well the last time this exhibition was in town, it returns again with over 100 classic Nat Geo images.

Little Women

Nine Theatre. 7.30pm. Thu 21-Sat 23. 80-380RMB. 

Chapterhouse Theatre Company brings the timeless story of Little Women to Beijing. Based on the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott, four sisters – Jo, Beth, Meg and Amy – tell the story of their life during the American Civil War. The tale of these four sisters is brought to life in a brand-new adaption from Chapterhouse, featuring period costumes, traditional live music and a story of self-discovery to warm your heart.

School of Rock 

Tianqiao Performing Arts Centre. 7.30pm. Fri 22 Mar-Sun 14 Apr. 180-1,180RMB. 

With a new score from Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater, a book by Julian Fellowes and an incredible cast, School of Rock hits all the right notes. The story follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn a bit of extra cash by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band.

For other great things to do in Beijing this weekend, hit 'Read more' below. 

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