2023 Year-in-Review: A Year of Beijinger Fests and Fun
After three years of Covid uncertainty, 2023 was a nice dose of normality in Beijing, and what a year it’s been! In our 2023 Year-in-Review we’re taking a look back at the happenings in the capital from this year that was.
Beijing’s reopening in 2023 meant one thing: the return of our annual big three events, the Beijinger’s Hot & Spicy Fest, Cheesy Pizza Fest, and Juicy Burger Fest. Those were back and better than ever this year, but we also had a slew of brand spankin’ new fests and happenings that Beijing had never seen before. Let’s take a look back, then, at a year in fantastic events hosted by yours truly.
Cheesy Pizza Cup Final Taste-Off
The year began with the culmination of both our 2022 Cheesy Pizza Month – during which pizza lovers could either dine-in or order out pies from five of the capital’s best pizzeria’s – Forno, Jing-A, Gung Ho!, Pie Squared, and Joe’s Pizza – and vote in person on their favorite at Langyuan Vintage. In the end, Joe’s triumphed to be crowned Best in Beijing for 2022-2023, no mean feat for a relative newbie.
Hot & Spicy Fest
Our first return annual event of the year, Hot & Spicy was, of course, spicy to the max, with title sponsor TABASCO® sauce joining the Beijinger this year to really crank up the mercury. 40+ vendors cooking up the hottest food they could – with a few cooling options and drinks to lessen the heat a bit – all on the rooftop of fudi Supermarket near Yaowai Lake. The return of Hot & Spicy brought with it the 12th edition of our Hot Chili Pepper Eating Contest, in which 24 contestants munched their way all the way through to ghost chili peppers to see who could handle the hottest of the hot. Plus, guests were introduced to our new Hot & Spicy mascot, Chew La La the Chinese tree shrew.
Taco Fest
Hot on the heels of Hot & Spicy, we naturally transitioned to our first ever Taco Fest. Held at the vibrant Tiantongyuan Culture and Arts Center in Changping district, with over 20 vendors coming out to put together their variation on the humble taco, with a few exclusives out for the weekend event, including Tacolicious from Shanghai, and even some chunbing – the emperor-approved Beijing take on the taco. Another mascot, Rong Momo the axolotl, made her big debut at Taco Fest.
First CBD Craft Beer Fest
For a weekend in August, the Beijinger teamed up with HK China Land and Fortune Financial Plaza to turn the Central Business District into the Craft Beer District. Breweries from the capital and all over China descended on the South Square of Fortune Financial Center to deliver some of the best beers to taste on a warm summer’s day and night. Coupled with all sorts of food to pair with these brews, it was craft beer heaven all weekend long.
CHEERS Summer Fest
Beer was swiftly followed in September by flowing wine, our first ever event of the sort, co-hosting the event with THE BOX Youth Energy Center and CHEERS Wines. CHEERS has been a regular at our events since the Bejiinger’s early days, a bringer of top-quality wines from various countries, carefully prepared cocktails and buckets of energy and fun. They brought the fun all weekend to THE BOX’s Dongyue Square, showcasing wines from 14 renowned international wineries, with over 100 to pick from to send the summer off in style.
The Belt & Road Food Fest
Hosted by Langyuan Station and sponsored by South African wine company Brutal Fruit, the Belt and Road Food Fest came back with a bang for its second year, with vendors from along the Belt and Road serving up good food, drink, and fun, after the summer's end.
China-CEEC Food & Music Fest
Held as part of the Liangma River International Arts Festival at Chaoyang Park, the China-Central and Eastern European Food & Music Fest saw 20+ food vendors bringing their interpretation of food from Central and Eastern Europe, from Turkish kebabs to Greek cuisine and more. Coupled with performances from foreign artists from along the bloc.
Juicy Burger Fest
Perhaps our most anticipated annual event, we get messages months in advance asking us when Burger Fest is going to happen. This year, it happened, and for the first time outdoors since 2019 at that, brought to the capital by TABASCO® sauce at lifestyle space Xidianjiyi FunsTown in Gaobeidian. 40+ vendors came out to the festival, including former Burger Cup winners, popular spots, and even a few newbies that managed to draw lines each day of the event.
Cheesy Pizza Fest
Christmas came with extra cheese this year thanks to Cheesy Pizza Fest. Brought to the capital once again by TABASCO® sauce, the annual pizza lovers’ paradise was held indoors at Langyuan Station’s Central Station to keep out the cold December chill. 20 vendors brought their best pizza pie this year, with festival goers voting on-site for Gung Ho! as the best of the bunch.
It’s been a fantastic year of fun filled events from the Beijinger, and we’re looking forward to another year of even more events and fests to bring the best food, drinks, and more of what the city has to offer to you. Happy New Year!
READ: 2023 Year-in-Review: Most Viewed Stories of the Year
Images: Uni You
