Santa, Christmas Karaoke, Live Music & More at Cheesy Pizza Festival
Forget counting down to Christmas, we’re counting down to Cheesy Pizza Festival! All set to kick off from Dec 9-10, it’s only three days away and we couldn’t be more excited! We’ve already taken a look at what our amazing vendors will be serving in a part one and part two rundown, and now it’s time to look at the entertainment.
We’ve got live music, DJs, dancing competitions and plenty of Christmas cheer, including the man in the big red suit himself…
Santa Claus
That's right, we’ll have our very own Santa Claus at Cheesy Pizza Festival! You can go and see him for yourself at the Beijinger’s Santa Swag Shop, he'll be there from 11am-4pm each day. Kids can sit on his lap and tell him what they want for Christmas and he'll be handing out "Santa's Seal of Approval" for all the good little girls and boys. Adults who still have an inner child can post with Santa for pictures too, of course. While you’re there, why not treat yourself to an early Christmas present and get some Beijinger swag as well!
Stage
We've got a packed schedule of fun for the stage, so let's take a look at just what's in store.
Games
Christmas Karaoke
Have you spent many a holiday season warbling Christmas tunes? Well, then our Christmas Karaoke contest is for you. A selection of fine singers will be invited on stage to belt out holiday classics until just one contender is left, with all participants receiving prizes. Space is strictly limited to eight per session; we'll have two sessions each day, at 1pm and 5pm. Sign up in advance by arriving at the sound booth next to the stage beginning at 12.30 and 4.30pm.
Interested parties can join this WeChat group to find out more:
Pin the Pepperoni on the Pizza
You’ll have undoubtedly heard of pin the tail on the donkey, but what about pin the pepperoni on the pizza? We’re taking this classic game and giving it our own cheesy pizza twist! If this tickles your fancy, be there to sign up (space is limited!) at 2.45pm each day – we'll have separate sessions for kids and adults.
Music
We have a stupendous line up of music for you at the festival, with a number of bands making their first ever Beijinger festival debut!
LAZER SCOOTER激光电驴
Attention! Cyberpunks are on the loose! The leaders of the notorious e-bike gang LAZER SCOOTER 激光电驴 have escaped from interplanetary prison, and their neon-lit trails are blazing towards Cheesy Pizza Festival. Armed only with their scrapped musical electronics and catchy original electro-punk tunes, these lowlifes aim to bring down high-tech society by colliding cheap plastic and sparkling metal in pulsing rhythms, rousing the city’s underworld into a fever of dance and joy.
Christmas Carols by AcaLab
Beijing-based music community AcaLab will be performing some of your favorite Christmas carols to really get that festive feeling started. Founded in 2019, AcaLab's hundreds of singers have put on shows all over the city - singing at corporate events, weddings, school functions, and more. With bilingual performances of everything from jazz standards to modern pop hits, AcaLab makes a cappella singing fun and accessible to everyone!
Top 2
Top 2 is a band duo made up of Hopkins, aka "Guo Wang", from Zambia and Tarusha from South Africa. Hopkins is a trained classical pianist and orchestra conductor, he performs across a variety of genres including gospel, pop, reggae, country and Chinese music. Tarusha started performing on stage at the tender age of eight and in 2008 won the Brunei Idols Competition. From 2008-2012 she performed in and around Brunei including performing at the Prince of Brunei’s birthday celebration. She’s been performing in China since 2018 and has played at events such as The British Ball and The Marine Ball.
Chanel & Erin
An acoustic duo, Chanel & Erin are always a big hit with their fun takes on popular songs, as well as creative medleys and sing-alongs that never fail to entertain. Featuring tight harmonies and a sharp sense of humor, these two are guaranteed to put on a good show.
Back Seat Bingo
Back Seat Bingo are a seven-piece 1950s & '60s rock n' roll band comprising of some of Beijing's most seasoned international musicians. Bursting with energy, you won't be able to resist singing and dancing as they take you through a compilation of your favourite hits of that era. Grab a guy or doll, loosen those hips and meet them on the dance floor!
DJ Santa
Coming all the way from the North Pole we have DJ Santa kicking off the festivities on both Saturday and Sunday. He’ll be playing all of those classic Christmas tunes to get the Christmas spirit going!
DJ Leslie JayCee
One of the biggest DJs in the Beijing club scene, DJ Leslie JayCee has played all over Beijing as well as abroad. He is the first and only Chinese DJ to have been invited to play twice at the “Love Parade” in Berlin and Dortmund. He has his own record label DeePleasure which focuses on deep energy sounds and funky grooves.
DJ SUMMA$HU
Hailing from Berlin DJ SUMMA$HU is a producer and artist based in Beijing. Growing up with a classical music education he soon started composing his own music and developed a love for melodies. His years partying in Berlin developed his love for all styles of electronic music. He believes that music should have no limits and borders but instead, be seen as a beautiful concept that can unite people together on the dance floor. His style ranges from Nu-Disco to House to Deep House to Techno. One thing is always sure when he plays: "It doesn't matter where we come from or what we do. What matters is that we get together and dance!"
Dancing
Salsa by Ema
Everyone’s favorite salsa teacher Ema will be showing off her amazing moves and getting everyone up on their feet and dancing. An ambassador of Latin American cultural communication, Ema has been promoting Latin American culture and music through dance for 19 years. She has worked with many Latin American embassies here in China and has taught thousands of students over the years.
Aguanile by DanceFam Són
DanceFam颂 is a Beijing based social dance community with a mission to spread the love of dance. They believe in the power of connection through dancing and strive to make it affordable for everyone by giving free salsa/bachata lessons. Most of their members started off as students and then once they reached a high level joined the dance company. Many dance members then progress to becoming dance teachers themselves.
You can check out the full schedule for the stage below:
Kids Area
For those of you bringing kids to the festival, there will be a number of exciting activities happening in the Kids Area courtesy of Beijing Huijia Private School. There will be Around the World with Christmas Pegasus, VR Meta-Universe Immersion, golf and more. Plus all the activities are completely free!
Don’t forget that kids under 1.4 meters can also enter the festival for free before 2pm on both days!
To stay up to date with all things pizza related you can ask to be added to our Beijing Pizza Lovers group chat. Just scan the QR code below to add tbjhelper and ask to be added to the group!
Cheesy Pizza Festival will be taking place from 11am-8pm, Dec 9-10 inside Central Station at Langyuan Station. Early bird tickets are RMB 22 and can be purchased by scanning the QR code in the poster above.
READ: Remaining Cheesy Pizza Festival Vendors + How to Win Prizes
Images: courtesy of the entertainers, the Beijingers, Aaron Berkovich, Uni You
