Did you know we have a family events WeChat group? Join two hundred other internationally-minded families for the latest information on what’s going on in Beijing. Send an email to editor@beijing-kids.com with your WeChat id or add vanessajencks on WeChat. Please note that readers should confirm with each organizer if events are cancelled or scheduled as planned.
Free
5th Annual Beijing Pond Hockey Tournament, Jan 13 and Jan 14
Ages 9+. Join in the fun at one of the West’s ultimate winter sports – hockey! The event is free to watch with a passport or Chinese ID. Free. 7pm-10pm (Friday, Jan 13), 8am-12pm (Saturday, Jan 14). Dulwich College Beijing (Jan 13) and Millennium Monument (Jan 14).
Chinese Paper Cutting & Chinese Knots, Jan 15
All ages. Break up the mid-winter monotony with a little fun and a Chinese theme celebration featuring Chinese New Year decorations. Spend an afternoon with the BICC center in Shunyi and learn how to create Chinese paper cutting and tying Chinese knots. Free. 3pm-5pm. Refox Relocation.
Mei Lin’s World at the National Museum, Jan 9 to Feb 12
All ages. Artist Mei Lin is a contemporary Chinese artist, working in a range of mediums including painting, calligraphy and sculpture. He is considered one of China’s most important artists, and his work was previously displayed at the National Museum in 2011. The theme of his exhibition is “Return to Folkart Roots” and it includes important works in Mei Lin’s unique style from the last five years. Free. 9am-5pm. The National Museum of China. (For more information click here).
Classic Movie Tuesday, Jan 10
Ages 10+. Pop-up Beijing is hosting a screening of ‘Ball of Fire’ (1941), starring Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck and Oskar Homolka. In the movie, a group of ivory-tower lexicographers realize they need to hear how real people talk, and end up helping a beautiful singer avoid police and escape from the Mob. Free. 7.30pm-9.30pm. Pop-up Beijing.
ICVS “Departing from China with Pets” FREE Info Session, Jan 14
Ages 10+. A new year brings new regulations and changes in requirements to take pets overseas. It is never too early to begin preparations for overseas travel with pets, even if you are unsure of your final departure date or destination country. Join the experts from ICVS as we share step-by-step instructions on the newest exit process for 2017. Free. 11am-12pm. International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS).
Unique
The Arabian Way – Cultural Relics of Saudi Arabia, Jan 9 to Mar 12
All ages. In cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the National Museum presents an exhibition of over 460 archeological relics, showing the historical development of Saudi Arabia’s culture. The relics start in the Stone Age, and moving forward to the present. RMB 30. 9am-5pm. The National Museum of China. (For more information, click here).
Design Your Own Vision 2017, Jan 10
Adults. It’s a new year with new resolutions. But wouldn’t it all seem more achievable with a plan? This event provides a space for creating a vision for our 2017. RMB 400. 7pm-9pm. The Bookworm.
Dialogue: Ding Yi and Elias Crespin, Jan 11
Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery presents an exhibition featuring two major artists of the international contemporary art scene: Ding Yi and Elias Crespin. Elias Crespin’s grand kinetic installations will be shown side by side with the works on paper of Ding Yi, the pioneer of abstraction in China and the two artists will be invited to interact and dialogue about their works. Free. 11am-6pm. Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery.
Best of Next Week
International Ski Club for Kids, Jan 14 and 21
Ages 7-14. Imagine brings you this exciting activity for skiers of ages 7-14 of who wish to improve their ski skills but also the ones with not prior experience whom want to start learning from zero. There will be qualified international ski instructors from England and other European countries who will ensure safety, skill acquisition, and fun during the process. RMB 50 per class Single Outdoor session: RMB 550 per class. Qiabo Indoor Ski Session.
Classic Movie Tuesday: The Ladykillers, Jan 17
Ages 6+. Tuesday 17 January at 7.30pm, Pop-up Beijing is screening ‘The Ladykillers’ (1955), starring Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers and Cecil Parker. In the film, five diverse oddball criminal types planning a bank robbery rent rooms on a cul-de-sac from an octogenarian widow under the pretext that they are classical musicians. Free. 7.30pm-9.30pm. Pop-up Beijing.
YCIS Beijing’s Annual Temple Fair, Jan 18
All ages. Celebrate the upcoming Year of the Rooster with YCIS Beijing at the school’s annual Temple Fair! There will be performances by students and a variety of vendors offering a host of other activities and popular shows such as martial arts, lion dance and the shadow puppets. Free. 8.30am-2.30pm. YCIS.
Chinese Bird-Flower Painting Class, Jan 18 and 19
All ages. Traditional Chinese painting is done with a brush dipped in black or colored ink; oils are not used. As with calligraphy, the most popular materials on which paintings are made of are paper and silk. The class will be conducted in English. The supplies or the Four Treasures of the Study are provided. Free. 10am-8pm. Chinese Culture Center.
Franz Lehar’s Opera “The Merry Widow”, Jan 18 to 22
Ages 10+. The Merry Widow first came to the stage in 1905, and has been enjoyed by audiences around the world ever since. The National Orchestra brings the comic tale of a wealthy widow whose countrymen are desperate to keep her wealth nearby by finding her the right husband. The score is by Austro-Hungarian Franz Lehar, and it is for this work that he is best known. Tickets from RMB 94 – 827. 7pm-10pm. The National Centre for The Performing Arts (NCPA). (Click here for tickets)
