27 amazing things to do in Beijing this weekend

Photo: Shii/Merrie Records

Your weekend guide to the best of Beijing 

Summer is fleeing away which means there are even more reasons to head out and explore with a jam-packed line-up of things to do this weekend. From city tours to stomping gigs, make the most of the perfect weather and get out there. 

As well as these highlights, there are many more things to do in Beijing this weekend: explore, enjoy and don't forget to Instagram us your snaps with #timeoutbeijing or let us know on Facebook what you really enjoyed.

Weekend Hangout with Evoke and Plan B

Photo: Wikimedia CommonsPlan B. Sat 24. 2-6pm.

Evoke Electric Motorcycles and Plan B present to you Weekend Hangout. Enjoy ten percent off all burgers and pizzas and free test rides. Eat well and then take a ride with Evoke Motorcycles; the only sound you’ll hear is the wind as you go.

Unlimited dim sum brunch at The House of Dynasties

The House of Dynasties. Every Sat-Sun. 11.30am-2.30pm. 198RMB

Rosewood Beijing’s elegant restaurant The House of Dynasties embraces the flavours of Hong Kong-style Cantonese cuisine and offers an authentically flavourful dim sum brunch. Every Saturday and Sunday, enjoy unlimited dim sum for just 198RMB per person during lunch. Enjoy classic Cantonese bites such as hargao, siu mai, Hong Kong-style fried rice rolls and more. Hearty soups, congee, noodles and rice are also on offer

Weekend and Monday Shakshuka Brunch

Photo: Caravan

Caravan. Until Oct 28. 11am-4pm. 

Shakshuka brunches are making their way to Caravan's menu, which are now available all through the weekend as well as on Mondays. And because you've earned it, pair your Shakshuka, a Moroccan egg dish poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chilli peppers and onions, with Caravan's brunch drinks like mimosas and bloody pirates.

InterNations Beijing at Sofitel

Photo: Ctrip

Sofitel Wanda. Fri 23. 7pm-late. 30-130RMB

Get into the mood and the groove with an international meet-up at Internation's end-of-summer gathering. Admire Sofitel's LED-lit catwalk which leads to a circular bar counter, and the fanciful golden globe DJ booth that hangs high from an imperial-inspired ceiling in round and square patterns. Dance, network or make new friends.

Midnight in Peking Official Walking Tour

Photo: 247 events

Beijing Shi Cha Hai Sports School (The Hutong Tour Meeting point). Sun 25. 6.30-9.30pm. 450RMB

Bespoke Beijing and PenguinBooks are proud to announce the official walking tour of Midnight in Peking, Paul French’s bestselling murder mystery. This is your chance to retrace the footsteps of those embroiled in the grisly death of Pamela Werner in 1930s Peking – a death that shocked the foreign community to its core.

Family Hike through Changyucheng Village

Photo: Beijing Hikers

Beijing Hikers. Sun 25. 7.30am-6pm. 150-360RMB 

Deep in the mountains of Changping District is Changyucheng, a village that used to be a Ming Dynasty-era military barracks. Get ready to hike up the forest by the village reservoir for a picnic and an optional hike, before walking back down to the village to check out the lanes, stone houses, temple, and thick walls of the old barracks. This relaxing outing is perfect for kids to enjoy some family time and mother nature. Best for ages 5–12; younger children would need to be carried for most of the way on this hike.

Shii

Photo: Shii/Merrie Records

Dusk Dawn Club. Sat 24. 9-11pm. 100RMB/80RMB adv

Merrie Records presents Shii, a Chengdu indie electronic artist currently residing in Wuhan, China. Shii brings femininity and sensitivity to China's expanding electronic music scene. Her music is influenced by IDM, glitch and dream pop, and her songs are lucid dreams filled with passion and observation creating an evocative and intimate sound.

Queen Tribute Night at Beersmith

Photo: Beersmith/Hen Jen Beijing

Beersmith Gastropub. Sat 24. 9pm-late. 100RMB

Beersmith's in-house band Soul Shake will lead a rocking Queen tribute show, presenting all the classics and greatest hits of Queen and bringing back to the golden age of British rock and roll.

Chaos Weekend Vol. 19

Photo: School Bar

School Live Bar. Sat 24. 9pm-late. 100RMB

Get ready for a night of punk rock, hardcore, and booze galore. Set to lead you down the path of no return are Beijing punk legends Discord, taking the stage for the first in many months, oi punks Shave n' Shut, metal punk dudes Hell City, up-and-coming punk outfit Hangnail, and last but not least, crust d-beat punk ensemble D-Crash.

Elenore

Photo: School Bar

School Live Bar. Fri 23. 9pm-late. 80RMB

Get the weekend started with a stacked line-up of some of Beijing's best indie rock and punk rock hysteria. Set to take the School Bar stage for the first time in many months are the superb indie trio with a Britpop twist, Elenore, punk rock dudes with Chinese characteristics, Husband Killers, 8-bit indie electro outfit, Time Street, and last but not least, up-and-comers, The Lightning Club

The Mantras

Modernista. Sat 24. 10pm-late. FREE

The Mantras will treat Modernista to another jazz party celebrating the return of their brilliant guitar player Roberto. Bring your friends, have a drink and dance along to their jazzy sound led by Kim's powerful voice.

Victor Bastidas Jazz Quartet

Modernista. Sun 25. 8.30-11.30pm. FREE

To sum up a full month of jazz, Modernista brings back the electrifying Colombian drummer Victor Bastidas to the stage. Accompanying him this Sunday evening is saxophonist David Diao, guitarist Zhang Jing and bassist Jongmoon Park.

Blasterjaxx

Photo: 247 Tickets

One Third. Fri 23. 9pm-late. 100RMB adv

Thom Jongkind and Idir Makhlaf, better known as producer/DJ duo Blasterjaxx, hits the dance floor at One Third this Friday. The duo boasts unique sound which is best described as a crossover between electro-house, progressive and big room, with distinctive personalities on stage – while one is often prominent and empowering, the other prefers staying quietly in the background.

Afro House-Ish Friday Session

Photo: Migas Mercado

Migas Mercado. Fri 23. 10pm-late. FREE

Once again Maclarry brings his afro tunes to make this a big Friday for dancing. A versatile Nigerian born DJ, he started his career in clubs and for big events in the US, and quickly adapted to mixing various styles together. Now at Migas Mercado he is fusing two of his favourites genres, House and Afro with his own personal touch.

Eclectic Electric X The Kut

Photo: Eclectic Electric/The Kut

Ginger. Fri 23. 9pm-late. FREE

Eclectic Electric is joining forces with The Kut to bring together two genre-spanning electronic dance music teams to create one epic night. Eclectic Electric has been mixing music styles for the last five years and is now mixing it up with The Kut which welcomes DJs to take turns going back to back with the residents to truly blend as many of the best beats as possible. The Kut founder, Switch the Vice, and Eclectic Electric founder, Half/N/Half, will be joined by North Londoner Fantwan and UK/Singaporean producer Kray for an unstoppable five hour mix of everything electronic.

Hologram Dreams

Photo: Dada

Dada. Sat 24. 10pm-late. 30RMB

A voyage from funk into the future. DJs Heatwolves and The Count of Monte Disco take Dada's dance floor on a hyper-loop journey from city-pop, Italo disco, and Chicago house into new wave, electro, and cybernetic madness. Seminal classics, brand new sounds, unknown pleasures, and rare anime visuals. The hologram train only rolls through Beijing a few times a year – don't miss it.

Lantern Presents: Beroshima

Photo: Toxic/Beroshima

Lantern. Sat 24. 10.30pm-late. 80RMB

For nearly thirty years now, Frank Muller has been part of the backbone of the European house and techno scene. The German-born artist is a DJ, producer and live act who is always evolving under his own name and aliases like Beroshima.

Templo Do Samba

Photo: Modernista

Modernista. Fri 23. 10pm-late. FREE

As we welcome the second half of August, our feet and our Caipirinhas will go down faster thanks to the energetic Brazilian rhythms of Templo do Samba. Get ready for dancing, drums and colourful feathers.

Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw

Photo: Fast and Furious/Universal Pictures

Cinemas around Beijing. Opens Fri 23.

Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs and lawless outcast Shaw first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo has swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever these two sworn enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy who might be more cold-blooded than themselves.

Next Gen

Photo: Next Gen/Netflix

Cinemas around Beijing. Until Aug 26.

Next Gen is a 2018 science fiction animated film based on the online Chinese comic 7723 by Wang Nima. A friendship with a top-secret robot turns a lonely girl's life into a thrilling adventure as they take on bullies, evil bots and a scheming madman.

Papillon

Photo: Papillon/Czech Anglo Productions

Cinemas around Beijing.

Wrongfully convicted for murder, Henri 'Papillon' Charrière forms an unlikely relationship with a fellow inmate and quirky convicted counterfeiter Louis Dega. Together, they attempt to escape from the notorious penal colony on Devil's Island.

Kevin Holzman and the Beijing Wind Orchestra

Photo: 247 TIckets

NCPA. Sun 25. 7.30-9.30pm. 80-400RMB

Beijing Wind Orchestra, founded in 2009, is a large professional wind orchestra composed of 80 musicians with profound musical knowledge and exquisite skills. The Orchestra performs a wide range of repertoire in different styles, including classic wind orchestra pieces, light music, chamber music, and jazz. Li Fangfang, a Chinese A-list conductor, is Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Orchestra.

La Fanciulla del West

NCPA. Various dates. 7-9pm. 100-680RMB.

La Fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West) is Puccini's seventh opera. It is ranked as the most mature four opera works by composers, along with Career of the Artist, Tusca and Madame Butterfly. The play is the only major opera to describe California's gold rush so far. The story ends with two lovers riding horses toward the sunset. The theme of music is interspersed with contemporary and local folk music and Indian ballads, which injects a strong regional colour into this pure American theme.

Notre Dame de Paris

Tianqiao Performing Arts Centre. Until Sep 1. Various time. 880-1,180RMB

Based upon the 1831 novel Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo (who also wrote the novels behind Les Misérables and The Grinning Man), Notre Dame De Paris features an international ensemble of singers, dancers and acrobats to tell the tale of the hunchbacked cathedral bell-ringer, Quasimodo, and his tragic love for the gypsy, Esmeralda. With unforgettable music composed by Richard Cocciante, and lyrics by Luc Plamondon, Notre Dame De Paris continues to capture imaginations and send hearts soaring around the world.

Anthony Browne's Happy Museum

Photo: The Visitors Who Came to Stay (1984)/Anthony Browne

National Museum of Classic Books. Until Sep 22 (except Mon). 88RMB-218RMB

See 162 original paintings by Anthony Browne, a surrealist artist who has won the International Andersen Prize for illustrators. The main characters of his popular books will be shown for the first time in China collectively, its vivid picture book characters and absurd and humorous artistic imagination to the delight of Beijing's audiences.

Artist Talk: My Arts My Life with Ren Shuai

Photo: BACA Art Centre

BACA Art Centre. Sat 24. 2-4pm. FREE

Ren Shuai has his own opinion on ‘value’, the value of objects, the value of people, and mutual influence of various values, just as ‘internet celebrity’ and ‘culture of internet celebrities’ have brought great influence to the world. In the work ‘Buy’, Ren Shuai is putting forward a problem that directly hits the public's heart: live broadcast by internet celebrities, super style of internet celebrities, these constantly refresh and stimulate our demand for material life; do we still have our own soul now? What exactly are we buying? Is this each label really what we need?

Lucy Sparrow's Felt Art Imaginarium

Photo: Lucy Sparrow/WeChat

M Woods. Until Oct 11 (except Mon). 80RMB/50RMB (students)

Using felt as her primary material, Uk-based Lucy Sparrow is renowned for her bright and engaging recreations of objects from everyday life. Having received worldwide attention for her felt installations, Lucy Sparrow’s Felt Art Imaginarium is the artist’s first exhibition in Asia, and comprises an immersive installation specially commissioned for M WOODS.

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