If you' re stuck in the capital this weekend, but desperately wanted a taste of things from abroad (or outside the Chinese mainland) - you may not have to. This weekend it looks like there are several countries worth of events happening right here in town.
Friday
The weekend kicks off tonight at Mao Livehouse, with a bizarre tribute to influential Hong Kong pretty boy rockers Beyond. A whopping six bands are on the lineup, a steal at the tiny pre-sale price of 50 yuan (70 at the door). Local girly rock outfit Unionbunny are on the line up, as well as heavy metal heroes Nerve Resistance Experimental and Tianjin folk rockers Fa Tiao Ka Mu Suo. Great value for money, if a little diverse in lineup.
Saturday
On Saturday, the Canadian International School of Beijing is hosting a Canada Day celebration a little earlier than expected. Ice cream, competitions, lucky draws and singing await anyone attending, but be warned there are liable to be a lot of Canada-related references, quizzes and name dropping. If you're not in a particularly Canadian mood, it might not be your thing. Prices vary for younger attendees. Adults expect to pay 160 yuan at the door.
The South American offering for the weekend is brought courtesy of the Instituto Cervantes Beijing, who are putting on a retrospective of the works of Mario Vargas Llosa, the Nobel Literature prize winner who spent his time penning era-defining works on the nature of politics and society in his home of Peru.
If you missed his recent visit to Beijing, this weekend is an excellent opportunity to catch up on his works via the film adaptations of his best-known novels, including La Fiesta Del Chivo (The feast of the goat), which will be shown with English dubbing on Saturday. For more details check out: http://pekin.cervantes.es. Free to attend.
To escape all the serious political musings you'd be doing the day afterwards, Africa's finest will be putting on one hell of a party at Dos Kolegas on Sunday in the shape of the Dos Kolegas Afrobeat Summer Jam. DJs, food and arts will be freely available from around 4 pm. Expect Beijing's Afrobeat legends Afrokoko Roots to be on scene with their brand of catchy chaos. Tickets are 50 yuan.
All weekend
Bringing all the countries together in the hope of creating something new is the Startup Weekend Beijing taking place at the opposite house between June 24 and 26. Mentors and speakers from a cross section of businesses will come together to advise, inform and aid people who are looking to make it as entrepreneurs with the aim of putting together a product in just one weekend. Check out http://startupweekendbeijing.com for more details or to sign up.
save some energy for next week
June 28, when Metro Beijing's Flash Fried Fiction Contest will wrap with a massive blow-up at Punk at the Opposite House hotel. Join Beijing's literati from 6 pm-9 pm as they get hammered on Hemingway daiquiris and listen to the finalists compete in a grand read-off for the 5000 yuan prize.
Afterwards, get ready to go crazy on the dance floor for as long as you can take it.
If all that is a little too open minded or international for you, there is also the Beginning of the Great Revival, which will still be showing at cinemas this weekend, until the end of time.