Busy Holiday: A Few Things To Do Today, Oct 2
It’s the National Holiday, folks! While we know a great many of you have most likely joined the masses to leave Beijing for travel, for those who have remained, there are still some great things to do every day of this Golden Week holiday.
2024 Beijing International Canal Arts Festival
Get ready for an unforgettable celebration at the 2024 Beijing International Canal Arts Fest! This exciting event marks the tenth anniversary of China's Grand Canal being awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, and it's all about honoring the cultural, artistic, and historic magic of canals around the world.
From Oct 2 to Oct 4, FunsTown will transform into a global hotspot for creativity, where artists from every corner of the globe will showcase their talent. Expect a whirlwind of art, culture, amazing performances and plenty of food as we dive into the rich history of the Grand Canal – an ancient link that has connected regions, cultures, and people for centuries.
The 2024 Beijing International Canal Arts Fest will be taking place at FunsTown, Oct 2-4, from 11am until 9pm each day. The fest is free to attend; you just need to register in advance by scanning the QR code in the poster above. Read more about the fest here.
XIDIANJIYI FunsTown 西店记忆FunsTown
18a Fangjiacun, Gaobeidian, Chaoyang District
朝阳区高碑店乡方家村甲18号
Walk the Central Axis, Beijing’s Newest UNESCO Site
Keeping on the topic of UNESCO World Heritage sites, Beijing’s latest to be added to the list makes for a great walk over the holiday. Spanning 7.8 kilometers and running south to north, the Central Axis was once reserved only for the emperor and his entourage.
It connects the Yongding Gate in the south to important sites like the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, and Jingshan Park, and ends around the Bell and Drum towers. You can read more about the walking route here. Just keep in mind certain points might be hard to get through or access over National Holiday.
Get a Different Perspective on City Maps at This Exhibition
This is one ideal stopping point on your Central Axis journey – or if you’re around Tian’anmen or the Qianmen area. An exhibition of maps of the capital from throughout history, all supplemented by the whimsical depictions of Beijing by Liuba Draws. The exhibition will also mark the unveiling of one of her biggest projects yet: her own modern take on a map of Beijing.
The Beijing Maps Exhibition is taking place now until Nov 1 at Qiankun Space. Entry is free. You can find out more via this link.
Qiankun Space 乾坤空间
26 Yangmeizhu Xiejie, Xicheng District
西城区杨梅竹斜街26号
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10am-7.30pm; Sat-Sun, 9.30am-8pm
Contact: 010 6313 5597; 186 1160 9968
READ: Busy Weekend: A Few Things to Do on Oct 1 & Beyond
Images: The Beijingers, courtesy of the venues
