25 fantastic things to do in Beijing this week

Your weekly guide to the best of Beijing

With the Cleveland Orchestra returning to China, the Beijing International Film Festival opening and markets, art, DJs and more galore, this week has a whole lot in store for us, Beijing. Head out, get about, see something new.

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. 

May Fourth and the Birth of Modern China

Dengshikou metro stop. 10am. Tue 9. 200RMB; 160RMB (members).

The year was 1919. Just seven years earlier, a revolution had swept away the last crumbling vestiges of the old imperial system. From the ashes of the Qing Dynasty, a new republic was born and then betrayed. This two-hour walk and discussion from Beijing By Foot will visit the epicentre of the May Fourth Movement: the original campus of Peking University. There, meet the scholars and students who defined a generation and gave rise to a nation. 

Hutong Tour

Drum and Bell Towers. 9am. Wed 10. 500RMB. 

Head out with Bespoke for a tour of Beijing's best alleyways. Visit the Drum Tower, see a hidden museum, and whizz through the hutongs on a rickshaw. Take a side stop to meet a cricket trainer. With local guides who know the hutongs better than anyone, explore these Beijing relics with true historians.

Book talk with Georgia Freedman

The Bookworm. 7.30pm. Wed 10. 60RMB. 

Georgia Freedman is the author of Cooking South of the Clouds – Recipes and Stories from China’s Yunnan Province. Like most of us, she's an avid student of and devotee to Chinese cuisine. Unlike most of us though, she left her position as managing editor of Saveur to move to Yunnan and further explore the culinary marvels there. Join her for a book talk and signing to hear more.

Beijing Postcards Historical Pub Quiz

The Bookworm. 7.30pm. Fri 12. 30RMB. 

This quiz is part talk, part game show. Whether you're a history buff or not, join in and get to really know Beijing. With all questions related to the wonderful ancient capital, the quiz masters strive to inspire curiosity and find new perspectives on this fascinating city. The topics are rooted in archival research done by Beijing Postcards; answers come from dusty archives, not Wikipedia. But don’t be afraid – questions are multiple-choice, so everybody has a chance.

Rumble in the Jumble

Modernista. Noon. Sat 13. Free.

Rumble in the Jumble is back this April for its monthly rumble. This month's Blue Skies bazaar is dedicated to those at work protecting our environment. Get ready to meet vendors specially selected to fit this theme, and expect hand-made accessories and a variety of knick-knacks including (but not limited to) vintage clothing, hand-beaded jewellery, tasty vegan treats, home remedies, organic Ethiopian coffees and more.

Car Boot Sale

BSB Shunyi. 10am. Sun 14. Free. 

Experience a classic British car boot sale at the British School of Beijing (Shunyi) this Sunday. While the stores are likely not actually car boots, expect vendors selling second-hand and new goods, with Roundabout helping to run the show. 

Xian Beer Olympics

Xian, East Hotel. 3pm. Sat 13. 300-600RMB. 

It's back. The Xian Beer Olympics returns for a second year this April with the chance for you and your team to beat those other pesky drinkers at games of consumption. Assemble a team of three sporting beer drinkers and prepare yourself for an afternoon of feats of strength, tests of beer knowledge, contests of speed and agility, artistic acumen, flip cup finesse and of course ping pong prominence.

Entry to the Beer Olympics is free, however the competition itself is priced at 600RMB for teams of three, while keen observers (and beer lovers) can also enjoy free-flow beer and pizza for four hours for 300RMB. Stay for the afterparty that begins at 8pm. 

Kempinski Vienna Ball

Kempinski Hotel. 6pm. Sat 13. 1,580RMB. 

The Kempinski Vienna Ball 2019 has everything you love about a classic ball: it'll feature big ball gowns, a Viennese orchestra, operettas, a four-course gala meal, a debutante committee, wine gardens and coffee houses. Alan Wu, star presenter of The Amazing Race Asia will be hosting the event. 

Peter Piek

DDC. 9pm. Wed 10. 80RMB; 60RMB (presale). 

Peter Piek struggles with the definition of the word ‘artist’, yet every day he uncompromisingly lives his life through art. A prolific musician and painter, Peter Piek was born and raised in East Germany, and describes his approach to art and music like this: 'Sometimes I think I’m a musician who fell in love with colour so much that he can’t help but paint all the time. Then I think maybe I’m just a painter who loves to play guitar and to write songs about himself being a painter.' Hear his rather unique take on music this week at DDC.

Jing Sing 

Modernista. 9pm. Thu 11. Free. 

Beijing's one and only a cappella choir Jing Sing showcase their eclectic selection of vocals with songs ranging from last year's pop hits to timeless doo-wop classics and some extra Hakuna Matata fun. Bring your friends, grab a drink and have an early weekend together at Modernista.

Wild Nothing

Omni Space. 8.30pm. Fri 12. 360RMB; 280RMB (presale). 

The mastermind behind Wild Nothing, American Jack Tatum, brings his iconic intimacy and human touch to the sonic soundscapes of the latest album Indigo. He blends technology and humanity in his synthy, dream pop songs.

W&W

One Third. From 9pm. Fri 12. 200RMB.

Better known as W&W, Dutch DJs and producers Willem van Hanegem and Wardt van der Harst have worked with the likes of Vinai, Hardwell and Armin van Buuren. Currently ranked number 14 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list, W&W play sets that combine the melodic elements of trance with electro and progressive house.

Salvatore Ganacci

Sir Teen. From 9pm. Fri 12. 120RMB. 

The Swedish experimenter is back, with bolder, bigger beats than ever. Known for his heavy-hitting club hits such as 'Dive' and 'Jook It', Salvatore returns to the capital with show-stopping new tunes to get you sweating.

Fedde Le Grand

One Third. From 9pm. Sat 13. 150RMB.

Iconic Dutch house DJ and producer Fedde Le Grand is known for the absolute bangers 'Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit', 'Let Me Think About It' and 'So Much Love'. A perennial headliner at EDM festivals such as Ultra Music Festival and Tomorrowland, Le Grand's been listed on the DJ Mag Top 100 DJ's List every year since debuting back in 2007.

BimBamBoom

Omni Space. 8pm. Sun 14. 120RMB. 

Led by one of Japan’s best-known drummers, Miyoko Yamaguchi, BimBamBoom is a largely instrumental band, punctuated with harmonious shouts and cheers. Drawing inspiration from the R&B and funk scenes of New Orleans, Philadelphia and Memphis they have delicately moulded their own brand of party music. 

Beijing International Film Festival

Cinemas around Beijing. From Sat 13. 

The Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) kicks off this year on April 13 and runs until April 20. This annual film showcase spans 30 theatres and 58 screens across Beijing, featuring the best of international and Chinese films. With 261 films to catch, this year’s film festival covers all bases from blockbuster hits to arthouse films and a wide range of genres from thrillers to documentaries.

Tall Tales from the Magical Kingdom of Antoon Krings

On general release from Sat 13. 

Apollo (Justin Long), a cricket with a past of being an outsider and a drifter, arrives in a small village preparing for the queen bee's jubilee, unknowingly becoming a target for jealous rivals to the throne. The sleepy kingdom is thrown into disarray when the queen (Kate Mara) is kidnapped and Apollo is set up for the crime. Original language: French.

Double screening: 73 Cows & Swine

Camera Stylo. 3pm. Sat 13. 35RMB. 

Vegans of Beijing and Towards a Compassionate Nation (TACN) host a double screening of award-winning films that speak to the fight for animal rights and the much-needed change many around our world demand. The films, 73 Cows and Swine, will be shown back-to-back, so head on down to learn more and support the movement. For more information and to get tickets, click here.

Shazam!

On general release now. 

Shazam! follows 14-year-old foster kid Billy Batson who can turn into the adult superhero Shazam (Zachary Levi) just at the utterance of that one word, Shazam! However, Batson needs to master his powers (and puberty) to fight the evil plan of Dr Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong).

Chen Yujun: Solo Exhibition

Tang Contemporary. Until Sun Apr 28. Free. 

This solo exhibition from Chen Yujun's is an important showcase of his last ten years of work, featuring paintings, woodcuts, collages and installations. Held across both of the gallery's spaces, the exhibition provides viewers with an insight into cultural, social, religious and natural perspectives documented in Chen's work.

Liang Shuo: Scenery

Beijing Commune. Until Sat May 4. Free. 

The second solo exhibition of artist Liang Shuo, Scenery is a junction between the urban and the wild. The exhibition explores our modern understanding of landscapes, juxtaposing ancient and new, time and space, ideologies and aesthetics. While Shou's paintings are the feature of the show, the curving walls and hidden spaces build suspense throughout, allowing brief glimpses and imagined endings for viewers.

Un Ballo in Maschera

NCPA. 7pm. Wed 10-Sun 14. 100-680RMB. 

Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball) is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, telling the story of the assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden – who was killed during a political conspiracy while attending a masked ball. The opera, directed by Huge De Ana, returns to the Beijing stage after numerous successful runs in the past.

China National Opera House Symphony Orchestra

NCPA. 7.30pm. Thu 11. 80-400RMB. 

Established in 1952, the China National Opera House (CNOH) has won over 100 national-level awards and has performed around the world. This week, the CNOH Symphony Orchestra takes the stage with conductor Yuan Ding leading the performers.

The Cleveland Orchestra

NCPA. 7.30pm. Fri 12-Sat 13. 980-1,680RMB. 

Founded in 1918, The Cleveland Orchestra celebrated 100 years of concerts last season. Under the leadership of Franz Welser-Möst, the orchestra has become one of the most sought-after performing ensembles in the world. They head to Beijing with Grammy-winning Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov.

Beijing Symphony Orchestra 

NCPA. 7.30pm. Sun 14. 80-400RMB. 

Renowned for the depth of its Western and Chinese repertoire, the Beijing Symphony Orchestra performs a programme of renditions from Chopin and Bartok, lead by acclaimed conductor Muhai Tang.

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

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