Beijing, China — Events
Meet in Beijing Arts Festival
The ‘Meet in Beijing’ Arts Festival transpires in and around the city starting in April/May annually and running on into the autumn months. Each year the festival takes on a different theme and nearly 10,000 artists from 80 countries presented over 100 performances to an audience of an estimated two million and 2010 is expected to be even bigger.
Beijing Music Festival
This event spans almost the entire month of October and features orchestras, opera houses and soloists from around the world. It is considered far and wide to be among the top five music festivals in the world.
Longqing Gorge Ice and Snow Festival
A magical winter wonderland provides a fun day out for locals and tourists alike at the three-day ice spectacle held annually north of Beijing. Try your hand at ice-fishing or one of numerous other ice or snow sports, and finish off the day marvelling at the intricately carved ice sculptures and ice lanterns on display, while fireworks turn the icy gorge into a colorful light show.
Spring Festival
Most tourists know the Spring Festival as the Chinese New Year, and it is one of the most important traditional festivals in China. Hundreds of thousands of people take the streets and parks across the country to ring in the New Year. Traditionally, the Spring Festival is celebrated by enjoying a New Year feast, setting off firecrackers, hanging red lanterns, and visiting relatives and friends. The Festival takes place every year on the first day of the first lunar month.
Chinese New Year in Beijing
Chinese New Year in Beijing is a noisy, colorful (and that’s not just the fireworks) and busy occasion. Boys and girls on stilts, life-sized puppets and costumed carousers sing and dance in the streets. Not a whole lot of sleep is possible during this week of celebration. The Eastern Mountain Taoist Temple on the east side of the city hosts the New Year Temple Fair where one could find some respite from the revelling in the main hall, which features a Taoist orchestra playing traditional flutes and pipes.
Great Wall Marathon
The longest man-made structure in the world lends just a small portion of itself for one of the most gorgeous races in the world. The two races of 3 miles (5km) and 6 miles (10km) each take place in some of the hilliest parts of the famous wall and are sure to be a test for any of those undertaking the race.
