25 stunning things to do in Beijing this weekend

Your weekend guide to the best of Beijing

In case you somehow missed the news, it's Mother's Day this Sunday – make sure you keep an eye out for our upcoming guide of all the best ways to spoil your IRL Wonder Woman. Beyond that though, this weekend's forecast is looking like an absolute stunner, and we're not just talking about the weather. Read on for our pick of all the best ways to enjoy the next few days out in Beijing's sun.

Shanxi Day and charity cocktail party at the Beijing Horticultural Expo

Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition. From 9am. Sun 12. 200RMB (standard entry); 40RMB (foreign passport holders). 

This Sunday, enjoy the world's largest-ever (it's official) gardening show in honour of Shanxi Day and the visiting Vice Governor He Tiancai. In what's, hands down, the best deal we've seen for the Beijing Expo so far, if you're a foreign passport holder, 40RMB gets you entrance to the Expo (weekend entry's usually 160RMB), return transport (to and from Longze or Beitucheng station), your choice of restaurant lunch or picnic, plus entry to a cocktail party (where you can rub shoulders with the Vice Governor, if you're into that). There will also be a charity raffle with prizes ranging in value from 600-6,000RMB. And that 40RMB you forked out? It goes straight to Taiyuan Children's Welfare Institute in Shanxi. Exploring the Beijing Horticultural Expo while helping out charity? Sign us up. 

Beijing Farmers' Market: Mother's Day special

Pacific Century Place. From 11am. Fri 10. Free.

This week, the vendors at Beijing Farmer's Market are sharing their expertise by hosting a variety of workshops to keep you healthy and your food pesticide-free. In addition to the usual vegetables and products, there will be a jewellery-recycling workshop, a candle-making workshop, a natural vegetable sunscreen workshop, a porcelain/China-restoration workshop and more. For more information (in Chinese), click here.

Reduce to Relive

The Great Outdoors. From noon. Sun 12. Free.

One person's trash is another person's treasure. Nowhere is that saying more fitting than at The Bulk House's Sunday swap event. Simply bring in your unwanted goods (everything's basically accepted except underwear and medication) and choose from other items being donated if something strikes your fancy. Nothing's for sale, and everything's free! Swaps don't need to be equal in value, and if you have nothing to give away, feel free to come along anyway. For more information about the rules, click here.

Climate Talks: The Next Step is Yours

Guohang Shiji Building. 2pm. Sat 11. 10RMB (includes snacks and drinks).

Be the change you want to see in the world and take the next step in combating climate change. This Saturday, meet the locals who have taken up the mantle of protecting the environment as they speak about what's currently happening in our society and how we can do our part to care of our one and only planet. The speaker line-up includes F2N Market's founder Erica Huang (pictured), the director of Toxics-Free China and policy advisor of China Zero Waste Alliance Mao Da, Live With Less founder Natalie Bennett, and Zero Waste advocate and Bulk House co-founder Joe Harvey. For more information or to reserve your spot, scan the QR code below.

Humble Yoga and picnic

Ditan Park. 11am. Sat 11. Free.

Yoga instructor Yiyang Tian hosts a free outdoor session of yoga this Mother's Day weekend. Unwind, then stick around for a picnic afterwards (make sure to bring snacks). For more information, contact Yiyang on WeChat (ID: yi---yang). 

Cinker Pictures garden opening party

Cinker Pictures Beijing & Garden. From 7pm. Fri 10. 188RMB.

Cinker Pictures Sanlitun is welcoming Beijing's summer with a Friday night party celebrating the opening of its outdoor garden terrace. For 188RMB, enjoy a buffet plus free-flow wine, sparkling wine, whisky and soft drinks, as well as a screening of classic film The Wizard of Oz. Menu highlights from the buffet include 'triple pig' toasties of smoked ham, pulled pork and cheddar, smoked salmon and mustard croquettes, and chocolate cake. For more information (in Chinese) and to book your spot, click here.

Cinco plus Cinco, Cinco de Diez

La Social. From 9pm. Fri 10. Free.

If you thought that Cinco de Mayo was over (we certainly did), La Social's out to prove you wrong with their Diez de Mayo party. Keeping the celebrations going, they're offering 30RMB tequila shots, 30RMB mixed tequila cocktails and plenty of Mexican music (but did you really need an excuse anyway?). 

Hatchery opening party at Village Café

Village Café. From 5pm. Fri 10. Free.

This Friday, Hatchery is celebrating its launch at The Opposite House's Village Café with an opening party. Enjoy 10 percent off all food orders, plus house wine or Asahi beer for 35RMB all night, then boogie on down to music from a live DJ.

Uncorked: A Journey through the Loire Valley

The Opposite House. 3pm. Sun 12. 258RMB.

Returning for another month, head to The Opposite House as their sommelier Ashley Gao takes you on a journey through six different wines from France's Loire Valley. Wines include the 1749 Rosé D'Anjou and Saumur Brut Blanc. To book, contact Ashley at 183 1117 0611 or at [e-mail].

The Bebop Big Band

Blue Note. 7.30pm. Thu 9-Fri 10. 100RMB. 

This week, the Blue Note Beijing Big Band pays tribute to the pioneering work of bebop big bands, performing a thrilling programme of classic bebop arrangements that showcase the modern harmonies and virtuosic rhythms of this music style. Beyond all that though, this is quite possibly one of the most affordably priced gigs at Blue Note in a long time – don't miss out.  

Explosions in the Sky

Tango. 8.30pm. Fri 10. 420RMB; 360RMB (presale).

If you've ever watched an episode of Friday Night Lights, you've probably heard the triumphant, guitar-driven strains of Explosions in the Sky. The Texas post-rock outfit has been mining grandiose, soundtrack-worthy melodies and slowly building arrangements for more than 15 years. After hundreds of thousands of album and ticket sales with features in major motion picture soundtracks, this iconic instrumental band will be celebrating their 20th anniversary with two nights of performances in China.

Andy Shauf

Blue Note. 7.30pm. Sat 11-Sun 12. 240RMB (side seat); 300RMB (table seat).

Best known for his lyrical grace and delicate melodies, Andy Shauf's folk-pop tunes go off the beaten track with an eclectic range of instruments backing his stirring vocals. The Canadian singer-songwriter has won, and been nominated for, numerous awards over in the Great White North, and his hit songs, including 'The Magician', have seen him gain fans around the world.

RL Grime

One Third. From 9pm. Fri 10. 120RMB (early bird, includes one cocktail). 

Henry Alfred Steinway, better known by his alias RL Grime, first came to prominence as a New York-based teenager delivering monster, viral remixes of Chief Keef's 'Love Sosa' and Kanye West's 'Mercy.' With his latest LP Nova – released just last year – RL Grime's set to distinguish himself as a music innovator, treading the line between millions of fans and an independent sound, the underground and the accessible, mainstream music and left-field art.

Tadeo

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

Throughout the past ten years, Madrid-based DJ, producer and label manager Tadeo has steadily redefined electronic music – techno, in particular. Having founded Cyclical Tracks, NET28 and Another Intelligence, as well as finding a solid home on Token Records and Non Series, it's perhaps unsurprising that Tadeo's become a bit of a beacon to those in search of original and thought-provoking tracks. Check out his distinct Detroit-inspired techno sound at Lantern this Friday. Support by Weng Weng, Jackson Lee, Aled & Tom and more. Get your tickets here. 

Hologram Dreams

Dada. From 10pm. Fri 10. 30RMB. 

'A voyage from funk into the future…' – that's the tagline for Dada Shanghai's party night Hologram Dreams. Now making its debut in Beijing, join DJs Heatwolves and Ozone as they take Dada's dance floor on a hyperloop journey from city-pop, Italo disco, and Chicago house into new wave, electro, and cybernetic madness. Oh, and expect rare anime visuals, because, why not?

Efdemin

Zhao Dai. From 10pm. Sat 11. Tickets TBC. 

Coming off the back of his first album release in five years (titled New Atlantis), Berlin's Phillip Sollmann, aka Efdemin, slips effortlessly between dance-floor techno and avant-garde experiments, creating minimal, yet sumptuous, musical landscapes. Don't miss him at Zhao Dai this Saturday. 

Cesare vs Disorder

Aurora. From 10pm. Sat 11. 100RMB. 

Self-described as a 'techno clown', Brazil-based artist, composer and DJ Cesare Marchese is bringing his disorderly sound (his interests veer from jazz to electronica to hip-hop) to Beijing for what's sure to be a chaotic night.

Roma

On general release from Fri 10.

If ever there was a grumble over this gorgeous, Oscar-winning epic, it’s that more people couldn’t see it on the big screen, particularly here in China. Now finally in Mainland cinemas, director Alfonso Cuarón's richly textured masterpiece unhurriedly explores the social and political canvas of 1970s Mexico City, where he grew up in a middle-class neighborhood called Roma. A sober and autobiographical elegy about his childhood and the women who raised him (one hardworking live-in maid in particular), Roma is cinema at its purest and most human.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu

On general release from Fri 10.

When ace detective Harry Goodman mysteriously goes missing, his 21-year-old son decides to go find out what happened. Aiding him is his father's former Pokémon partner, Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reynolds), who is somehow able to communicate with him and only him. The two join forces on an adventure through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City, where both humans and Pokémon peacefully co-exist. But the duo soon uncovers a plot that plans to destroy this peaceful co-existence between the two species and threaten the Pokémon universe.

Danish Movie Month

Chao Hotel. Various. Until Sun 12. 120RMB.

This May, Chao Hotel hosts Danish Movie Month, showcasing some of the very best in Danish film including everything from the old to the new, to dramas and documentaries. Films include The Day Will Come (Der kommer en dag), A Fortunate Man (Lykke-Per), Silent Heart (Stille hjerte), The Stranger (En fremmed flytter ind) and more. For the full schedule plus tickets, click here.

Spittunes: Art is a Poem is a Song

Another Art Gallery. 5.30pm. Sun 12. Free.

With a title inspired from a quote from the poem 'Sacred Emily' by Gertrude Stein – 'a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose' – Art is a Poem is a Song seeks to explore Another Art Gallery's latest exhibition, The Common of Difference, in a groundbreaking and creative way. Poets will write poems inspired by the exhibit and then musicians will work with the poets to create a special song inspired by the art and the poetry. For the first time in Spittoon's history, the dimension of visual art will be brought to the Spittunes process. 

Wu Shanzhuan: Today Became a Holiday

Long March Space. Until Oct 13. Free.

Today Became a Holiday is a constellation with more than 200 paintings, from Hamburg, Reykjavik and Shanghai, that have arrived in Beijing over the course of seven shipments. The concept of logistics as a working method has been used throughout Wu's artistic practice, beginning with the 1989 piece Big Business (Selling Shrimps) right up till now. Presented as gifts for this holiday, each arrival pushes us one step closer to Wu's epic narrative Today Became a Holiday. 

People of Beijing

Da Xiao (Beiluoguxiang). Until Sun 12. Free. 

People of Beijing is a group show created by illustrators AO, FEI FEI, Jiasi Lee and Shui. These four independent illustrators create narratives about the people of Beijing through observations and interpretations, with each offering a unique perspective spanning from technological, social to cultural aspects of Beijing life. The show surveys the full scope of people in Beijing – who they are, what they do, who they are with. The show aims to foster a greater sense of connection and reflection, as well as empowerment through the exploration of various art forms and processes. For more information, click here.

Concerto Copenhagen

NCPA. 7.30pm. Fri 10. 50-480RMB. 

Supported by the Danish Arts Council, Concerto Copenhagen is widely regarded as Denmark's leading musical export within the field of classical music, having joined the league of the world's most innovative baroque orchestras since its inception in 1991. Original interpretations and a strong ability to communicate with the audience are among Concerto Copenhagen's hallmarks – making old music vital, relevant and contemporary. 

Wu Wei and Holland Baroque

NCPA. 7.30pm. Sun 12. 50-480RMB. 

Rounding out this week of European orchestras is the Holland Baroque, an ensemble partial to sharing the stage with playful and inspiring musicians. Joining the orchestra this time round is sheng (a Chinese reed instrument) player Wu Wei, in what's an ambitious team-up of East-meets-West classical music. 

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

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