Do you have an upcoming family-friendly event that you want to be included in our listings? Maximize the reach of your event and promote it on beijingkids’ social platforms!

Let us know by leaving your message in the comments section below or by emailing us at webeditor@beijing-kids.com. Follow us on WeChat (ID: beijing-kids) or join our family events WeChat group by sending us your WeChat QR code. Please note that readers should confirm with each organizer if events are canceled or scheduled as planned. For more events that may not be included in this list, please check our Events page. 

Spring University Fair at The British School of Beijing, Shunyi, Mar 19
Students and parents are invited to one of the largest university fairs in Beijing, hosted by The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (BSB Shunyi) and sponsored by five other major international schools in Beijing. Come and talk to over 90 university admissions representatives in person. Breakout session topics include college interviews, experiential education, scholarships, admissions process, and more. All ages. Free admission. 4.30-7pm. The British School of Beijing (BSB) Shunyi. (8047 3588, brian.chesher@britishschool.org.cn)

100-Minute Non-Stop Heyrobics Workout at BSB Sanlitun, Mar 19
Want an extra challenging workout? Join Heyrobics as they lead a 100-minute non-stop jumping, sweating, smiling workout! It’s extremely challenging yet fun for everyone. The Heyrobics team will bring the beats, some headbands, something to drink, and lots of happiness. You bring… yourself! All ages. RMB 80 (includes a headband and a drink). Sign up here. 6.15-7.55pm. The British School of Beijing Sanlitun. (beijing@heyrobics.com)

Women in Business – Future Women Leaders, Mar 19
The German Chamber and the Wirtschaftsjunioren (Young Business Leaders) Beijing kick off their new Women in Business series with a session on the complexity of issues related to professional women. This series aims to provide a platform for women with diverse professional backgrounds, to build and maintain strong networks, to enhance certain leadership skills, to share experiences and to foster personal and professional growth. Adults. RMB 300. Sign up here. 6.30-10pm. Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center.

National Geographic: A New Age of Exploration 2.0, opens Mar 22
National Geographic magazine is holding a special exhibition: Classic Image Feast 2.0, to explore the wonders of the world and discover the beauty of China. The exhibition will showcase classic images of China and include a new display called “China Memory”, which allows visitors to rediscover the grand beauty and cultural heritage of Chinese rivers and mountains, from the perspective of award-winning international photographers. All ages. RMB 70-100. Buy tickets here. 9am-5pm. Beijing World Art Museum. 9A Fuxing Lu, Haidian District. 海淀区复兴路甲9号 (5980 2222)

Wild Women on the Wall Presents: Fun Run & Walk at Beijing Riviera, Mar 23
Ready your running attire and bring the fam to the Fun Run & Walk at Beijing Riviera, organized by Wild Women on the Wall. Join a whole morning of calorie-burning fun together with your family and friends in either a 2km (starts 9am) or 5km (starts 9.30am) fun walk or fun run. This activity is one of the preceding events organized by the participants of the Wild Women on the Wall marathon, which aims to raise funds for their beneficiaries, Agape Family Life House and Five Loaves & Two Fishes. Adults. RMB 50 (2km), RMB 80 (5km), activities start from 9am. Beijing Riviera Clubhouse. (Buy tickets or register through WeChat by adding either of the following organizers: Anna-Seidel, Lucille_Beijing, or cbeckett)

Slow Boat Spring Family Day, Mar 23
Join Slow Boat Brewery for their Spring Family Day on March 23 (Saturday), noon to 3pm. This themed event includes spring crafts and activities for children, an open breakfast buffet (noon-2pm) and a family-friendly setting for the little ones to craft, explore, and play. All ages. RMB 218 (adults), free for children under 10. Visit this link to register. Noon-3pm. Slow Boat Brewery Sanlitun. 

First Aid Training for Parents at IMC, Mar 24
The International Medical Center (IMC) Beijing is holding first aid training for parents on March 24. Participants will be taught the essentials of teaching children, including getting hold of emergency services and performing basic life support, and learning how to deal with environmental emergencies. Adults. RMB 300 (register here). 9am-noon. International Medical Center (IMC). S-106 Beijing Lufthansa Center, 5 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District. (6465 1561)

Listen, Little Snail: A Musical Show for Kids, Mar 24
The Western Philharmonic performs Listen, Little Snail at the Tianqiao Arts Centre on March 24th. Follow Emma, a little snail, on a lively journey of exploration perfect for kids and families, and learn about the instruments in the orchestra, different musical techniques and the joy that classical music can bring! All ages. RMB 180-380. Buy tickets here. 10.30am-noon. Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center.

Open Days

Mammolina Children’s Home-Montessori Kindergarten Open House, Mar 20
Prospective parents are invited to visit Mammolina Children’s Home-Montessori Kindergarten and meet the school founder Sasha Giggliesi, who will discuss the ideas of Montessori education and how it is applied to help children prepare for the future. All ages. Free admission. 9.30-11.30am. Mammolina Children’s Home-Montessori Kindergarten.

March Open Days at Yew Chung International School of Beijing, Mar 26 and 28
Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS Beijing) invites parents to their Early Childhood Education Open Day on March 26 to see the school’s Learning Communities. At this open day, participants will also understand how the Yew Chung Education Foundation’s long history in early childhood Education has shaped their teaching today. On March 28, parents can discover the Learning Community model in Primary and Secondary schools, the integrated Chinese program, and know more about the curriculum and teaching style at YCIS Beijing. All ages. Free admission (RSVP here). 9-11am. YCIS Beijing.

Recurring Events

Beijing Farmers Market at Nali Patio, every Tue until Mar 26
Nali Patio hosts the Beijing Farmers Market every Tuesday this month. Shop around for second-hand clothes, DIY toys, homemade food, and farm fresh goodies. All ages. Free to attend. Visit this page for more info. 11am-2pm. Nali Patio courtyard.

Hello Future Kindergarten Songs and Stories, every Tue until Mar 26
Hello Future Kindergarten hosts a weekly toddler playgroup every Tuesday morning from 9.15am to 10.15am. There’s reading, singing, dancing, and crafts for the kids, and coffee for mom and dad. Hello Future recommends that parents and not ayis attend this playgroup. Ages 6 months-3 years and parents. RMB 70. Scan the QR code on the poster to register. 9.15-10.15am. Hello Future Kindergarten, Cathay View West Gate, Maquanying.

Photo: Agung Pandit Wiguna, rawpixels.com via Pexels; courtesy of event organizers

Do you have an upcoming family-friendly event that you want to be included in our listings? Maximize the reach of your event and promote it on beijingkids!

Let us know by leaving your message in the comments section below or by emailing us at webeditor@beijing-kids.com. Follow us on WeChat (ID: beijing-kids) or join our family events WeChat group by sending us your WeChat QR code. Please note that readers should confirm with each organizer if events are canceled or scheduled as planned. For more events that may not be included in this list, please check our Events page.

Children’s Day Activities

Children’s Day Special: Chinese Shadow Puppetry and Live Folk Music, May 31
All ages. Join Modernista for one more Thursday dedicated to cultural influences and fusions from all the round the world blended into music, dance, theater and stage performances. The event will feature shadow puppets designed and managed by experienced puppet master Wang Yuguang with a contemporary music twist from to Ravi’s experimental influences. 9-11.30am. Modernista

Children’s Day Flea Market at The Local, Jun 2
All ages. The Local Flea Market in Beijing will be held on June 2 with more than 30 quality vendors selling Chinese products, organic food, special family drinks, and imported English-language books in celebration of Children’s Day. There will also have a paper folding workshop for kids from WWF (World Wildlife Fund), using creative ideas to build the animal world. The workshop will support an organization which is saving wild animals in Africa. In addition, your children can volunteer to help the WWF get the word out about protecting the environment. Representatives of the WWF will be on site and will have activities and gifts for the little ones who volunteer. Free to attend. 11am-6pm. The Local. For more information, visit this page. (158 1071 3743, mr_j.c.zhang@hotmail.com)

Slow Boat Family Day: Kid’s Theater, Jun 2
Slow Boat’s Family Day returns on Jun with a theme of “Kid’s Theater” to support Dew Drops Little Flower. There will be hand puppet crafts, a play stage, costumes and props, and storytelling for the little ones. Parents can enjoy any brunch item plus tea, coffee, or a beer for RMB 150 (one parent) or RMB 200 (two parents). Bring any number of children for free! The ticket includes brunch and a drink, your child’s brunch, access to the craft table and materials. In addition to donating a portion of ticket sales to Dew Drops Little Flower, Slow Boat also encourages their guests to bring items for donation to Dew Drops. There will be a donation box on site where you may leave the items. Noon-3pm. To register, scan the QR code or visit this page.

BICO Family Concert: Peter and the Wolf / Carnival of the Animals, Jun 2 and 3
All ages. This year’s family concert of the Beijing International Chamber Orchestra (BICO) features Prokofiev’s enchanting musical tale, Peter and the Wolf. The performance is suitable for children of all ages, and it continues BICO’s longstanding tradition of presenting entertaining and educational family concerts for everyone. RMB 150 (adults), RMB 80 (kids). Book tickets here (for Jun 2, Jun 3). Beijing International Chamber Orchestra. Canadian International School of Beijing, No. 38 Liangmaqiao, Chaoyang. (www.bico-china.com, maria.nauen@mail.ru)

Hot Fairs and Markets in June

Riviera Chic Bazaar, May 30-31
All ages. Riviera Chic combines top small thriving independent designers who focus on authenticity, specialization, and quality ideal for the discerning shopper. From on-trend fashion, a cool unique teacher’s gift or a treat to take home for a loved one! They are also supporting Love & Hope Charity. See the list of vendors here. Free to attend. 10am-4pm. Beijing Riviera Clubhouse.

BSB Shunyi Summer Fayre, Jun 3
All ages. Come along for some summer fun at The British School of Beijing (BSB) Shunyi’s Summer Fayre, one of the biggest events each year at BSB. Families can enjoy lunch, snack and drinks from many food vendors, fun with games, water park, bouncy castles and enjoy visiting a variety of stalls indoors and outdoors. The Grand Charity Raffle will have many prizes to be won too. This fair is open to the whole Beijing community. Noon-4pm. Visit this page for more info. (8047 3588, marketing@bsbshunyi.com)

British Chamber’s 2018 Summer Garden Party, Jun 7
All ages. Kick off summer with the 2018 British Chamber Summer Garden Party, a highlight of Beijing’s social calendar. This year’s party will celebrate a classic British summer sporting festival: Wimbledon. Join the British Chamber at the British Ambassador’s Residence, and enjoy an evening of delicious food from TRB Catering; free-flow British beer, Pimm’s, and gin and tonic; and live music. The Annual General Meeting of the British Chamber of Commerce in China will be held before the party and is exclusive to members only. RMB 300 (non-members), RMB 200 (members). Price includes all you can eat and drink. 4.30-8.30pm. British Ambassador’s Residence.

BCIS Rockfest & Beijing Runway 2018, Jun 8
All ages. Are you someone who knows how to rock out and get the crowds cheering? Or maybe you are a fashionista who wants to see their designs strutted down the catwalk? If so, join Beijing City International School’s (BCIS) Rockfest & Beijing Runway shows, popular events that will run from 5.30-8.30pm on June 8. Free to attend. BCIS. (8771 7171, emma.parker@bcis.cn)

YCIS Beijing’s ‘Re-Market,’ Jun 9
All ages. As part of Yew Chung International School of Beijing’s Zero Waste month, the school invites everyone to attend their recycle, reuse, and repair ‘Re-Market.’ There will be workshops, organic products on sale, a film screening and stalls for buying and exchanging books, clothes, toys, and furniture – all in promotion of waste reduction. Free to attend but registration is needed (visit this page to register). 1-5pm. YCIS Beijing. (8583 3731, phoebe.yu@bj.ycef.com)

Fun for the Fam

Hand in Hand Music Festival, Jun 3
All ages. Make sure to check out the Hand in Hand International Children’s Music Festival, China’s first international music festival created for the whole family, which is about to happen on Sunday, June 3 in Beijing. The festival was founded by American journalist Rebecca Kanthor and her husband, Chinese musician and author Liu Jian. They are bringing together bands from all over the world to play a family-friendly mix of rock and pop music for an audience of kids, allowing all kids in China to experience the magic of live music and learn about different cultures. RMB 160-360 (book your tickets here) 10am-2pm. Beijing Exhibition Center (139 1613 7358; info@handinhandchina.com)

The Color Run 2018 Hero Tour, Jun 9
All ages. The Color Run, also known as the Happiest 5k on the Planet, is a unique paint race that celebrates healthiness, happiness, and individuality. Now the largest running series in the world, The Color Run has been experienced by over 6 million runners worldwide in more than 35 countries. This year’s Color Run features a Foam Zone full of colored bubbles and a great big paint-throwing party at the end. RMB 228 (classic kit), RMB 288 (superhero kit). 9am-4.30pm. Beijing Garden Expo Park. Visit our Events page for more info.

Bout à bout: French Family Theatre, Jun 9-24
Ages 3+. Bout à bout is a unique puppetry show connecting life, arts and imagination for children. It is inspired by artist Jean-Marie Hobet and a group of pre-school children and teachers. Bout à bout (“end to end”) is a story full of poetry and light, and it features ropes of various sizes, and music and sounds played by three invisible puppeteers, who give life to the ropes: fire lances, boa constrictors, means of transport or sumo preparing for battle, dog and cat, snake, octopus, and fish. RMB 245-780. Shows are from 10.30am, 3.30pm, 6.30pm, and 7.30pm. Tong Playroom. For more info, visit this page. (WeChat subscription account: tongtiyan)

Aidi School Summer Music Concert, Jun 12
All ages. Aidi School pays tribute to traditional culture with a concert on June 12. The Aidi School Summer Music Concert allows them to use music as a bridge for culture. The program covers Peking opera, local theatre and folk songs and dances, and will be staged at the Forbidden City Concert Hall. RMB 180-380. RSVP: Monica Zhao (185 1513 2431, zhaoyini@aidi.edu.cn)

Film and Stage Acting Workshops by Beijing Fringe Theatre, Jun 24-Jul 7
All ages. Beijing Fringe Theatre offers various acting classes and specialty acting workshops for stage and film, with a focus on monologues, audition, scene work, and accent dilution. The theatre produces live shows, which give actors opportunities to practice and hone the craft of acting. No experience is necessary, but a passion for the world of acting, and a desire to learn and succeed, is preferred. Contact  137 1791 3029 or info@beijingfringetheatre.org for more information about the time and fees.

Ballet for Fun, Fitness, and Fineness, until Jun 29
Ages 4-7. Prima Ballerina aims to bring passion, fun, and creativity to every class, nurturing each students’ love of the art form through their practice, dedication, and creativity. This form of ballet training breaks through classical teaching methods and builds children’s passion for dance through a variety of games, sounds, and musical styles. The classes take place every Friday and will be taught by Elyn Wang, an ex-soloist ballerina for the National Ballet of China, who has over five years experience teaching children at the National Ballet and at private ballet studios around Beijing. RMB 160-220 per class. 4.30-5.20pm. Prima Ballerina at Beijing Language and Cultural Center for Diplomatic Missions in Sanlitun. (WeChat ID: Elyn0318, 139 1158 8951)

Little Kickers Beijing Football Trial Class, until Jun 30
Kids 1.5+. These trial sessions take place every Saturday and are play-oriented for kids aged from 1.5 to 5. Everybody is welcome to experience a series of football games in a fun environment. Class times: 9.15-10am (ages 1.5-2.5), 10.15-11am (2.5-3.5), 11.15-noon (3.5-5). Ivy Nursery Sanlitun. (WeChat ID: LK-BJ-10001)

Exhibitions

BSB Secondary Soirée, Jun 6
All ages. The British School of Beijing (BSB), Shunyi invites everyone to an evening of creative arts, showcasing a delightful mix of art and music presented by their secondary students. Stunning pieces of artwork, including outstanding IGCSE and IB Art, will be displayed in the foyer. There will be a musical program that showcases the range of music talent of the student performers. Free to attend. 6-8.30pm. BSB, Shunyi. (8047 3588, www.bsbshunyi.com)

”Hall of Fame” by Artist Jensen Moreno, until Jun 10
All ages. Filipino artist Jensen Moreno showcases her collection of portraits of people she has admired over the past few years. “Hall of Fame” marks her fifth solo painting exhibition. Experience Moreno’s unique artistic perspective and profound understanding of the celebrities and people who inspired her. Free to attend. 9am-5pm. A. C. Embassy Hotel. (Contact curator Daisy Zhao for more info at 183 1013 8251)

The Story of the Peterhof Palace Treasures, until Jun 10
All ages. The Story of the Peterhof Palace Treasures showcases 243 treasures that unveil the grandeur of the Romanov Dynasty in Russia. Originally shown at Peterhof State Museum Reserve, the treasures make their first appearance in China at the China Millennium Monument until June 10. RMB 50 (entrance ticket fee). 9am-5pm.

More Upcoming Events

Blogging in Beijing’s Quarterly Meet-up and Networking Series: “A Gold Mine of Stories,” May 31
Ages 18+. The Blogging in Beijing WeChat group invites everyone to their second quarterly meet-up and networking event on May 31 at XL Bar in Sanlitun. This FREE online-to-offline gathering will focus on the topic of “Beijing: A Gold Mine of Stories” (click here to register). Being a city full of history, Beijing gives everyone a feel of what life in a highly cultural but very contemporary setting is. But beyond the touristy sights and daily urban living lie a wealth of fascinating stories that can inspire budding writers and bloggers, as told by speakers Jeremiah Jenne of Beijing by Foot and Pauline van Hasselt of Beijing Mothers Guild. Free to attend (but registration is needed as there are only 30 seats). 7-9pm. XL Bar, Sanlitun. For more inquiries, contact Andy Penafuerte on WeChat (ID: anp3rd). Scan the QR code to register.

Handmade Natural Skincare Workshop, May 31
All ages. The workshop will be taught by a certified Organic Cosmetic Science formulator and will cover the basics of skin care formulation. Attendees will be introduced to natural raw ingredients and learn how to harness the power of plant botanicals for your skin type. Attendees will get the opportunity to make their own personalized skincare products that can be brought home. This class is suited for beginners and no prior experience is needed. RMB 290 per person. 10am-noon. The SLab. (Jen Pohland: 156 0120 1550)

3e Tea Talk: Let’s Talk About Art, Jun 1
Adults. Jill McKillips, a professor of Visual Art Education at Michigan State University, visits 3e International School to share new ideas and strategies on talking about art with children. This lecture will focus on concepts of Visual Thinking Strategies, art games that engage critical thinking, and how easily we can train to look, see and talk about art with a new perspective. By learning to look and see with a new perspective, we can better understand cultural aesthetics, zero in on the finer details found within the world around us and develop new and more descriptive art vocabularies. Free. 9-10.30am. 3e International School. (6437 3344, community@3einternationalschool.org)

Blossom Montessori Elementary School Open House, Jun 9
All ages. Blossom Montessori Elementary Program open doors to Beijing families and friends! Come along and check out their Montessori environment. Free and food will be served. Activities for kids start from 10.30am. (WeChat ID: Blossom_Montessori, 135 8188 7792, alessia@blossom-edu.com)

Summer Camps

For more upcoming summer camps, visit our April 2018 Summer Survival Guide issue or this page: Happy Campers: All the Fun at Your Door This Summer

South America Football Academy Summer Football Training, Jun 17-Jul 23
All ages. Do you have a budding young football player in your household? There’s no better way to motivate them and help them build skills than by enrolling your budding young football player at a world-class training clinic in Madrid, courtesy of Generation Adidas International, the South America Football Academy (SAFA), and the Real Madrid Foundation Training Program. There are two nine-day clinics coming up this summer, on Jun 17-25 and Jul 15-23, and both will offer the children a chance to train in Spain with experienced professional Real Madrid Foundation coaches. For prices and further details about enrolling, call 176 8572 2785 or email info@nanmei-fa.com.cn.

HoK First Education Travel Program – Discover Germany, Jun 24-Jul 4
All ages. Spend your summer holidays in Germany, exploring historic towns, German car technology and, of course, the best of German food. This travel program offers a fun-filled introduction to Germany and will be led by House of Knowledge teachers. The exclusive group of 10 families will go to some of the most iconic places in southern Germany. Participating families will prepare for the trip in two weekend workshops at House of Knowledge. For prices and a more detailed itinerary, contact Coco Du at 6431 3182, communicationsqf@hokschools.com.

Imagine Festival: The Outdoor Week, Jun 25-29
All ages. Over five days, kids will experience tons of Imagine’s most exciting activities in wonderful locations all around Beijing. For the first three days, they take kids on buses from Beijing out to nature, back in time for dinner at home each night. Then on Days 4 and 5, students camp overnight, returning on Friday afternoon. Camp activities include watersports and strategy games; bubble football; water fight; pirate treasure hunt; long-range archery; parkour; trampolining; obstacle courses; Survival Day; and Civilization Game. RMB 4,000. (5739 4933, info@imagine-china.com)

The SLab’s [Movie Making] Summer Camp, Jun 18-Aug 10
All ages. Green T. House in Shunyi is hosting The SLab’s [Movie Making] summer camp programs this year. At the camp, students will work on the entire process of shooting a short film; experiment with script writing, filming, directing, acting, and editing; and explore their creativity through a variety of teamwork activities. Professional equipment is provided, but students should bring iPads or computers if possible. Open to students ages 8 and above. Camps run weekly from 11am-4pm. Limited to 10 students per class. (156 0120 1550, j.pohland@hotmail.com)

Sports Beijing Summer Camps, Jun-Aug
Kids 4-16. Sports Beijing summer camp is back, offering half day and full day activities for kids who want to engage with gymnastics, football, basketball or tennis. The camp is split up into weeks, with morning and afternoon activities (for full-day campers). For a complete list of schedules, activities, and prices, visit our Events page or www.sportsbj.org. (6430 1370, 6430 1176, info@sportsbj.com)

Didn’t see your event here? Make sure to upload your family-friendly activities on our website. See this page for more info on how to upload your event.

Photos: Courtesy of Beijing City International School and featured event organizers

The Results are in: after a month-long battle that began with an appearance slinging Anxiety Burgers at our Launch Party in August, last year’s runner-up Slow Boat Brewery outpolled The Local to earn the title of champion of the 2015 Burger Cup.

Slow Boat rose to the top on the heels of their signature Fryburger, a concoction featuring fries built right into the burger and served with their house-made dressing dubbed “Ayi-ioli.”

“Putting fries in the burger is just pure genius,” said one voter, a sentiment echoed by more than a few Slow Boat partisans.

“Their burgers are that perfect bite of beef and cheese," said another. "Salty, savory, creamy, a crispy bun … and just enough grease and aroma to bring everything together.”

Slow Boat also won accolades for their Anxiety Burger, a blue cheese-laden version they served at the Launch Party in August.  “I literally have pangs for the Anxiety Burger – it’s that good,” said one voter. “The bun is fluffy but the burger isn’t so greasy that the bun gets soaked and falls apart. It’s juicy and has an ample portion of creamy blue cheese to give it a kick.”

This year’s runner-up, The Local, received abundant praise in the final round as well, particularly for the generous heaping of avocado served on their signature Dry Rub Avocado Burger.

“The avocado for a Californian really gives the burger the down home feel for me,” remarked one voter.

"I tried [the Dry Rub Avocado Burger] for the first time on Sunday! It was amazing, the meat was juicy, not dry, plus the slight pepper burn from the spices and the smooth and cooling avocado,” gushed another voter. “Even [if]they don’t win, they have a winner on their hands. I will go back with friends."

In the other race of the match, three-time champion Home Plate BBQ outpolled Great Leap Brewing to claim a solid third place in the overall poll.

With that, the Burger Cup comes to a close for another year, and we have our final rankings of the city’s Best Burgers from 1 to 64, as determined by you.

It was a big year for change in the annual rankings, with 25 percent of the competitors making their Burger Cup debut this year. Top ranked among the first-timers was Jing-A and their trio of sliders at No. 16. Three other first-timers also cracked the Top 25: Loft Eatalicious (#21) Kenny’s Burgers (#22) and Groovy Schiller’s (#24).

Other venues found their fortunes surging in this year’s contest. Shunyi’s The Garage, which placed No. 46 last year, rocketed 31 places to No. 15. The second largest jump was by Cafe Flatwhite, one of the many vendors to feed the hungry masses at the Launch Party, which leaped 23 positions from last year’s No. 49 to land at No. 26.

Others that saw their burger fortunes rise this year included the Opposite House’s Village Cafe, The Filling Station, Pinotage, and The Bookworm.

Others fell in the annual rankings. Among those that slipped the largest number of slots were Rumi, Paddy O’Shea’s, Beer Mania, and Windy City. Two venues closed during the competition: Flamme and Twilight, and others either closed down over the past year or fell out of the top 64, including Burger Bar, Chef Too, Main Street, The Box, Burgers & Beer, Alibi, and the Iron Horse Saloon. Two other prominent spots stopped selling burgers: Migas and Kro’s Nest.

So there it is – the 2015 Burger Cup in a nutshell. Click here to see the final rankings, including a look at the Top 12 and how they ranked compared to last year. Don’t forget to narrow the gaps in your own burger knowledge by trying the ones you have yet to sample – you can’t go wrong with any of them!

This post first appeared in thebeijinger.com on September 16, 2015 and has been slightly modified.

There’ll be a new Burger Cup champion this year as upstart Slow Boat has toppled the only winner we’ve ever known in the Burger Cup – three-time champ Home Plate – in a close Final Four race. Meanwhile, in the other match of the Final Four, The Local avenged last year’s loss to Great Leap Brewing by narrowly outpolling them this year.

This sets us up for a final battle featuring The Local vs Slow Boat to see who will be the next champion … and you have a mere three days to decide: thebeijinger.com/2015Burgercup

Get in there and vote before noon Thursday (September 17) to crown the new champ.

Home Plate, meanwhile, takes on Great Leap for the bronze in the same ballot.

On its path to the final match, Slow Boat sailed past Nola, 4corners, Union, and finally, Home Plate. The Local, meanwhile, survived challenges from Café Flatwhite, Q Mex, Blue Frog, and Great Leap.

And now for a closer look at the two burgers vying for the title:

The Local Bar and Grill‘s The Dry Rub Avocado Burger
One hundred percent imported Aussie beef, seasoned with The Local’s mildly spicy dry rub, topped with lettuce, house salsa, cheese, and half a ripe avocado, served on a buttery, not-too-sweet bun. Served with a small salad and a choice of fries, onion rings or sweet potato fries. Best accompanied by a beer margarita.

Slow Boat Brewery & Taproom’s Fryburger
An all-beef patty topped by beer-battered fries and a blanket of cheese, dressed with Slow Boat’s home-made “Ayi-ioli,” served on a lightly grilled sesame seed bun. Served with a generous slice of pickle. Best served with one of Slow Boat’s own brews, such as the Captain’s Pale Ale, Monkey’s Fist IPA or the Slutty Mermaid Triple IPA (10.8 percent).

For those of you keeping track at home, here is our updated wall poster:

We also asked you to rank the competitors that did not make it into the Final Four this year, to serve as initial seedings for next year’s Cup. Here’s the rankings, #5 to #8:

5. Blue Frog
6. Union Bar & Grille
7. Let’s Burger
8. The Big Smoke

Add this to the data we collected earlier and you have our list straight through to #83:

9. Q Mex
10. Frost Coffee, Cocktails and Dining
11. Plan B
12. Lily’s American Diner
13. Tim’s Texas Bar-B-Q
14. 4corners
15. Flamme
16. The Garage
17. Jing-A
18. Katchup
19. Luga’s Villa
20. Stuff’d
21. Village Cafe, Opposite House
22. Loft Eatalicious
23. Kenny’s Burgers
24. Lush
25. Groovy Schiller’s
26. Temple Bar
27. Cafe Flatwhite
28. 1F
29. Yuppie & Yummy
30. Fly Pizza
31. Nola
32. Paulaner Maximilian
33. Biteapitta
34. The Filling Station
35. The Cut, Fairmont Beijing
36. Morton’s of Chicago
37. Ramo
38. Paddy O’Shea’s
39. The Den
40. Pinotage
41. The Bookworm
42. The Irish Volunteer
43. Beer Mania
44. Grandma’s Kitchen
45. Domain, East Hotel
46. Hungry Horse
47. Windy City
48. Grinders
49. Bistrot B
50. Jamaica Blue
51. Frank’s Place
52. Eudora Station
53. Laker’s
54. Peter’s Tex-Mex
55. Rumi
56. Waspark
57. The Old Bike Café
58. Sunbake & Brew, V-Continent Beijing Parkview Wuzhou Hotel
59. Burger Me
60. Park Side Bar & Grill
61. The Smokeyard
62. Twilight
63. Burger Break
64. Helen’s Café
65. Park Square
66. Burger Counter
67. XL Bar
68. Angry Burger
69. Craft, Crowne Plaza Lido
70. Pebbles Courtyard
71. Food Studio, Renaissance Beijing Wangfujing Hotel
72. The Corner
73. One East
74. The Kitchen Table, W Beijing Chang’an
75. The Golden Era 50’s Diner
76. Nasca Café
77. Uncle Sam’s
78. Must Guette
79. Little Britain
80. Steak Exchange, InterContinental Hotel
81. Fuel, Langham Place
82. MRL
83. Pentalounge, Penta Hotel

To get you in the mood for voting, read up on all the action and develop a healthy appetite via our Burger Brief series or take a look a last year’s final seedings.

This post first appeared on thebeijinger.com on September 14, 2015

Images: the Beijinger

Home Plate Bar-B-Que has been once again crowned champion of Beijing’s burger circuit, walking away with the Burger Cup for a third consecutive year since taking the title from 2011 winner Blue Frog.

Home Plate survived a challenge in the final head-to-head match from upstart Slow Boat Brewery, whose burgers did not even make the Round of 64 in 2013 but has shown some real mettle on the back of their innovatively gluttonous Fryburger, a burger stuffed with beer-battered French fries.

It’s been a long ride for Home Plate, which once again made its way into the finals via hard-fought victories over bracketmates Domain (#16), Burgers & Beer (#9), Temple Bar (#4) and Union Bar and Grille (#3), before going on to meet and defeat Bracket A’s top seed Great Leap Brewing and then besting Slow Boat.

Home Plate fans consistently praised the juiciness of their burgers as well as the value and the atmosphere of its two locations, the original behind the Hilton Hotel and its more recent venue in Sanlitun.

In the Third Place Match, Great Leap bounded by The Big Smoke to take slot #3 on the strength of its burgers, craft beer and atmosphere.

And with this, we now have our conclusionary rankings in the 2014 Cup, and you just may want to use the October 1 holiday to work off those extra pounds, as a full 68 percent of you reported eating more burgers than usual over the Burger Cup period, while 55 percent said you’ve consumed more beer.

As we wrap up, let’s take a look back at a tumultuous year in the rankings, with new entrants in the Top 10, others taking steep falls and a new fleet of contenders making the rankings.

Biggest Jumps: Stuff’d rose 24 spots, from #38 to #14; Temple Bar rose 23 spots to move from #36 to #13; The Cut jumped 14 spots to go from #44 to #30; The Big Smoke climbed 13 spots to make it to #4 from its previous perch at #17; Paddy O’Shea’s went from #31 to 19; 4corners jumped from #22 to 11; and Pentalounge moved up 8 spots from #55 to #47.

Welcome to the Jungle: Slow Boat tops the list of contestants that didn’t make the cut in last year’s tourney to place in this year’s, coming in at #2. Others that made their debut this year include #17 Katchup; #20 Burger Bar; #22 Q Mex; #23 Beer Mania; #25 Morton’s of Chicago; #27 Windy City; #28 The Irish Volunteer and #31 The Kro’s Nest.

Biggest Drops: It wasn’t a great cup for several venues who saw their rankings drop as competition heated up. Cafe Flatwhite dropped 33 slots from #16 last year to #49 this year; Chef Too plummeted 25 spaces to go from #12 to #37; Peter’s Tex-Mex dropped from #23 to #44; Grandma’s Kitchen went from #19 to 39; and The Bookworm went from #42 to barely making the grate at #62.

Farewell: After charting in 2013, #30 Burger Counter, #32 The Corner and #36 The James Joyce all fell out of the rankings entirely.

Here, in a brief chart, is our field of 64 for 2014 and how they did vs 2013:

This post first appeared on thebeijinger.com on September 28, 2014.

Photos: the Beijinger