What's Going On in Beijing? Look No Further Than Our Events Section

Beijing is a pulsating, vibrant city with an endless number of activities and events worth experiencing – and our Events section is testament to that.

We here at the Beijinger pride ourselves in attempting to bring you the most complete and comprehensive event listings in Beijing.

It's a daily grind to keep our finger on the pulse of the city, and truth be told we still have a long way to go to improve -- but we do manage to maintain over 400 distinct and exciting events at any one given time. On the average weekday, somewhere in the vicinity of 20 to 40 new events are added, which means if you come back tomorrow, you'll find new things to do. If you're a regular troller of our website, the best way to keep up with what's new is with the "Recently Added" link here: 

thebeijinger.com/events/recently-added

Currently we're in the process of a slow but steady evolution of the section. We're tweaking it on a daily basis to rid it of repetitive goings-on and to give emphasis to those events that we feel are unique, worthwhile, and most importantly, in line with our readers' broad interests and hobbies.

To make sure you get the most out of our neverending trawl to bring you the best happenings, it helps to explain what we consider an "event," and how it differs from a "promotion," and why some events are marked as "Editor's Picks" and others are not.

It's an art rather than a science, and we point this out to you because this can seem to be a very arbitrary decision.

The Events vs. Promotions Conundrum

Every event, when you really think about it, is a promotion of some sort – whether it is promoting sales of a product or service, tickets to a charity ball, participation in a community-based sporting event, or a happy hour at a local bar.

However, there's a big difference between, let's say:

• A once-in-a-lifetime concert by a major international act;
• 50 percent off all drinks one day a month at a very popular bar;
• 10 percent off all menu items every day for the next three months at an expensive hotel restaurant far on the west side of the city.
• A simple announcement of the regular services a bar/restaurant/venue provides on a daily basis.

In this case, we'd code the first two items as events, the third as a promotion, and the last we would delete as it is simply an advertisement.

However, there are times when there's just not that much going on, and that changes our perspective on "events" vs "promotions"

First off, we presume that if you have come to our site and clicked on the events page, you are likely in pursuit of something to do, and it's not an option for us to simply present you a blank calendar.

On an active Friday night with tons of events going on, that one Happy Hour promotion may be way down on the totem pole of interesting things to do. On a Monday when there's not much else on the social calendar, that same Happy Hour might have an entirely different appeal -- and genuinely be the most interesting thing to do that evening.

Dining and bar promotions get a lot of special consideration because dining out and visiting bars and clubs are two of the most common activities of the average Beijinger reader: with all of you dining out on average 29 times a month and going out to bars once or twice a week.

The Editors' Picks

Our editors' picks are designed to call attention to events that stand out from the rest. We look for unique events, unusual promotions and exceptional deals. We also realize that in any one given day, particularly weekend days, there might be 80 events on the calendar, so you may not have the patience to scroll through them all. The Editors' Picks brings those events to the top of the list so readers will see them first.

In essence, the value of an event comes down to a combination of several factors:

• The rarity of the event;
• The value of the event;
• The general appeal of the event;
• What else happens to be going on at the same time.

How do I post an event on the Beijinger?

You can find a step-by-step guide here. However, if you're pressed for time, just point us to where we can find the details by emailing listings@thebeijinger.com and we'll do our best to pick it up from there.

What are the Beijinger's rules for event posting?

The listings are free, but are subject to moderation and we reserve the right to decline to approve events that do not abide by the following guidelines:

• Events should be posted in English. Text in other languages (i.e. Chinese or French) can be included but the body must contain at least an English translation, and please put the description in English first;
• Repetitive or extended-time promotions will usually be posted to the promotions section, unless we deem it to have unique appeal.
• Classifieds and advertisements will be deleted;
• Duplicate events will be deleted; the one with the most views will generally be kept;
• Event images are strongly encouraged. Feel free to post your event’s promotional flier.

If you have any problems or questions about posting events, please email us at info@thebeijinger.com or you have any other suggestions for our site please don't hesitate to give us a shout.

As for us, we'll keep striving to be your one-stop-shop for the most comprehensive listings in this fine city. Thanks, and happy haowanring!

Photo: djkeza.com/8mm