Beijing Festivals

Beijing International Tourism Culture Festival
Time: the third Sunday in September every year
Venue: Beijing

Origin
Beijing is the political and cultural center of China, as well as an international tourism metropolis. To make the tourist industry of Beijing show better its local characteristics, the city holds the Beijing International Tourism Culture Festival in September every year starting from 1998. Since then, this international tourism culture festival has become a grand cultural gala gathering the local citizens of Beijing, and folk artists and tourists from different countries and regions in the world.

What's on
Artists of Chinese and foreign art troupes in their holiday best take part in the grand parade and put on performances at the Ping'an Street, Oriental Plaza, Chaoyang Pank and World Park, and by Yanqi Lake, in addition to the exhibition of tourism information and pictures, the exhibition of the photos by famous Chinese and foreign tourism photographers, the display of delicacy culture, and other recreational activities.

Main Tourist Attractions
The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Ruins of Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace), Yonghe Lamasery (Lama Temple), Temple of Heaven, the 13 Ming Tombs, Tanzhe Temple (Pool and Zhe Tree Temple), Beihai Park, Beijing alleys (Beijing Hutongs), and so on.

Transport
Many domestic and international air routes reach the Beijing Capital International Airport directly.

Beijing Temple Fair
Time: Lunar Jan or Feb.
Venue: Changdian, Baiyunguan Taoist Temple, Beijing Dongyue Temple

What's On: yangko dance,stilt-walking dance, land boat dance, lion dance, traditional flower fair, folk arts and craft exhibition,traditional local food enjoying, painting exhibition.

Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Festival
Time: Mid January - Late February
Venue: Longqing Gorge, Longqing County of Beijing

What's On: Ice and snow sculptures enjoying, Inner Mongolia folk dances, bull riding, joint performance of flower fair, traditional Chinese sedan chairs sitting, guess lantern riddles, set off fireworks, taste local snacks.

Beijing Xiangshan Red Leaf Festival
Time: Late Oct.
Venue: Xiangshan Park

What's On: enjoy the red maple leaves, mountain climbing, art performance, compose poetry and paints, music cafe, ikebana (art of inserting flowers) show, fruit miniascape exhition, art of strange stones show etc.

Transport
Take bus 360 from the Beijing Zoo or bus 33 from the Summer Palace

Beijing Daxing Watermelon Festival
Time: From late May to early June every year
Venue: Daxing District, Beijing

Origin
Beijing Watermelon FestivelOver the past 500 years, watermelons produced by Daxing District have enjoyed a high reputation in Beijing. In the Wanli reign period (1573-1619) of the Ming Dynasty, Daxing contribute watermelons to the emperor every year, known as watermelons of tribute. Panggezhuang Town, the main producer of watermelons in the district, is the land of watermelons well known in China, and the first "China Watermelon Museum" in the country was constructed in Panggezhang Town. The Daxing District People's Government organizes the Beijing Daxing Watermelon Festival annually by following the principle of "making friends, promoting Daxing and developing the economy with watermelons" and regarding watermelons as the "image envoy" of the Daxing people.

What's on
The evening gala, the presentation of watermelon culture entitled "Song of the Land of Watermelons," and so on.

Main Tourist Attractions
Beijing Wildlife Park, Nanhaizi David's Deer Garden, Beijing North Putuo Film and TV City, China Watermelon Museum, etc.

Transport
Tourists may fly to Beijing, and then go to Daxing District by bus.

Beijing Chrysanthemum  Exhibition
Time: Late Oct. or Early Nov.
Venue: Beihai Park

What's On: Chrysanthemum Show, ikebana (art of inserting flowers) show, Chrysanthemum appraisal activity

Tansport: trolley bus 103, 107, 109, 118; bus 701, 801