10 awesome things to do in Shanghai this weekend

Photograph: courtesy 247tickets

A load of your friends, colleagues and relatives might be on planes travelling all over the world right now, but that's not an excuse to sit and sulk at home. This weekend we've got a Christmas rollerskating party, a very-open open mic, a new solo exhibition from Chen Ke and more. Read on for our picks for the weekend.

Taste by 3 Scents at Table Black

Photograph: courtesy Blackbird

One that's all about the senses, this limited-edition tasting menu at Table Black is set in three sections, paired with three scents: mountain, peento, ginseng. The organsiers describe it as 'a dining experience to confound the senses as the visual, olfactory and culinary collide.' RSVP required (187 0199 0479).

📍Blackbird, Columbia Circle, 1262 Yanan Xi Lu, near Panyu Lu. Until Wed 26. 6-10pm. 680RMB (per person).

Blackstone Magic Bar: Magic Santa

Photograph: Yang Xiaozhe

Shrouded in mystery (like all good magic), details are limited on Black Stone Magic Bar's Magic Santa show. But here's what you need to know: the magicians here are great, the show lasts an hour, and tickets come with a specially crafted cocktail.

📍Blackstone Magic Bar, Found 158, 158 Julu Lu, near Chengdu Nan Lu. Until Tue 25. 10.30-11.30pm. 180RMB-280RMB. Extract the QR code to buy tickets.

Christmas Winter Wonderland Skating Party

Photograph: courtesy RIINK

Forget ice skating... rollerskating bar RIINK is turning itself in a winter wonderland this weekend with holiday tunes (courtesy of DJ Sivle) and seasonal drinks. Christmas attire encouraged. 50RMB entry gets you a skate or a drink.

📍RIINK, Unit 6-103, No 1 Bund Square, 658 Dapuqiao Lu, near Longhua Dong Lu. Fri 21-Sat 22. 6pm-late. 50RMB. Extract the QR code to buy tickets. 

Very Open Mic

Image: courtesy Un Caffè Bar

Spoken word, poetry, music... any form of creative self expression is welcome at Un Caffè Bar's Very Open Mic Night. Sign up for performers is first come, first served from 7pm so get there early if you've got something to share.

📍Un Caffè Bar, Seventh Floor, 77 Jiangning Lu, near Nanjing Xi Lu. Fri 21. 7.30pm-late. Free.

China Social Club: The Bad Seed

Photograph: courtesy DADA

China Social Club is putting on a night of nitty gritty electronica and basslines. Inspired by the 1954 novel of the same name featuring an evil young girl with sinister motives, CSC invites you to 'forget your humility and let out your own bad seed'. DJs Illsee, HYMN and Frau will be providing the twists and turns with house, acid, techno, jungle and more on this genre-unrestricted jaunt.

📍DADA, 115 Xingfu Lu, near Fahuazhen Lu. Fri 21. 10pm-5am. Free.

Modern Sky Lab x Say Yes Christmas Special

Photograph: courtesy Modern Sky Lab

Modern Sky Lab and Say Yes are hosting a electronic showcase of dark proportions. For their special Christmas show, they have wrangled a potent lineup of hard techno, post-punk and shoegaze musicians from the genre's international and local scenes. Think UK-born Giant Swan and Shanghai's own Difan and SpaceReturn. 

📍Modern Sky Lab, Third floor, Ruihong Tiandi, 188 Ruihong Lu, near Tianhong Lu. Sat 22. 11pm-late. 100RMB (early-bird); 130RMB (presale).

Shaving in the Dark Christmas Market

Photograph: courtesy Shaving in the Dark

Shaving in the Dark is putting on its own Christmas Market where you can pick up gifts like comics, prints, tattoos and illustrations, or participate in workshops and learn tricks of the trade from professional illustrators. There will also be live music and mulled wine, as well as a special Christmas edition of the group's Drink 'n' Draw event, which brings together artists and non-artists alike for a relaxed evening of, well, drinking and drawing.

📍Subland, Bldg 8, 51 Runan Jie, near Zhizaoju Lu. Sat 22. 2-8pm. Free.

The Real Deal is Talking with Dad: Chen Ke Solo Exhibition

Image: courtesy Yuz Museum

Chinese contemporary artist Chen Ke’s solo exhibition showcases a series of mixed media paintings and installations inspired by daily talks with her father, a traditional Chinese painter. Personal, poignant and nostalgic, Chen’s works are inspired by her family memories, including conflicting memories of the globalisation of modern China.

📍Yuz Museum, 35 Fenggu Lu, near Longteng Dadao. Sat 22 Dec-Sun 24 Mar (Tue-Sun).

St Petersburg Festival Ballet: Swan Lake

Photograph: courtesy 247tickets

Famous touring Russian ballet troupe St Petersburg Festival Ballet are dancing a classic: Swan Lake – one of the most famed Russian ballets composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky in the late 1800s.

📍Lyceum Theatre, 57 Maoming Nan Lu, near Changle Lu. Sat 22-Sun 23. 7.30-9.30pm. 80RMB-580RMB.

Qmmunity presents Intersectionality Workshop Dialogue

Photograph: courtesy WeWork

LGBTQ+ collective Qmmunity's workshop will discuss the connectedness of race, gender expression, sexual orientation, etc, and how such intersections of identity affect our life experience. There will be a presentation on the basics of intersectionality followed by a group discussion.

📍WeWork, 696 Weihai Lu, near Maoming Bei Lu. Sun 23. 6.30-8.30pm. Free.

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