Jianbing Festival
BY Vivian Yeung
Last September, the Beijing brewery Beiping Machine hosted their very own Jianbing Festival. We think it’s worth making the trip to China for.
China is known for its food, with each province, town or city procuring its own distinct twists on classic staples and flavours – or creating new dishes entirely. While street food stalls have been clamped down upon in recent years, it’s difficult to understate the importance that they’ve had on local fare across the country.
Enter the Beijing-based Jianbing Festival, a sprawling culinary celebration of the street food snack that saw over 40 jianbing brands from the capital city and Tianjin come together to operate nearly a hundred pans. The jianbing is a popular breakfast pancake wrap or crepe (though it’s certainly acceptable to eat round-the-clock at any time of the day). It’s one of China’s most well-known street food staples, even warranting its own national celebration: the World Jianbing Day on 30 April.
Hosted by Beiping Machine, the event runs from September until December and features live music curated by the team who helm the Dongsi-based record store Fruityshop and its performance venue, FruitySpace. With almost a hundred pans to choose from, variety is guaranteed. Whether you prefer mouth-numbing chilli or sweet bean sauce; have a penchant for fried dough stick or adding a modern touch of crispy bacon to your jianbing – this is an event where you can try it all. China is large, and often it’s hard to know where to begin with its food culture. This is a good place to start.
Jianbing is one of the finalists for Trippin 50, a cultural calendar featuring the best events around the world. Check out the Trippin 50 hub here.
Date and Location
Details of the 2024 edition are yet to be announced.
Weather
The temperature averages from highs of 26°C and lows of 15°C.
Price
Details are yet to be announced.
Transport
We will update this as we learn more.
Accommodation
A range of options are available within Beijing, from cheap hostels to luxury hotels.
Accessibility
Information on accessibility is not yet available.
