Blog
Things to Do

Add comment

17 excellent Shanghai events for your radar this week

Sign January off in style with another batch of excellent things to do over the next seven days

By Rupert Hohwieler Posted: Monday January 25 2021 11:06PM

Get ready to leave January in the same way you entered it – with a bang. There's a whole nother load of excellent events to get stuck into this week in Shanghai. From natural wines at X Bar to raving 'til dawn at Elevator's breakfast club, live storytelling platform Unravel's first show of 2021 and another edition of Heritage Sessions, here's how to cap the month off in style.

Things to do

Unravel: A Whole New World

The live storytellers at Unravel are back to host their first show of 2021 that's centred around the theme 'a whole new world'. Shanghai residents will be given the stage to share their own real-life stories of stepping into the unknown, trying new things and making changes. Tickets can be purchased here (include one drink) and the location is revealed after registration. Doors open at 6.30pm for drinks and stories start from 7.30pm.

TBA 28 Jan

Clothing Drive at The Rooster

Swing by The Rooster's charity clothing drive in support of the Renewal Center this weekend. From 3.30pm, they'll be collecting jackets, coats, trousers and shoes, along with unused underwear and socks. They’ll also accept bags and toiletries. As a thank you, each donation is rewarded with a free pint of Vedett.

The Rooster, Jingan , 455 Shaanxi Bei Lu 29 Jan , 30 Jan , 31 Jan

Shanghai Speakeasy and Cocktail Drag Tour

Get an expert's guide to the city's famed speakeasy scene with the food and drink specialists at UnTour. Led by one of Shanghai's leading drag queens, Lady N. Gentlemen, you'll meander through the winding lanes of Old Xuhui, beginning with a mixing class in a hidden gin bar, then combining the cocktails with a mid-tour noodle stop and finally going off the beaten path for rounds of drinks at two top-shelf speakeasies. Book tickets online.

UnTour Shanghai 30 Jan

Ringside Fight Night No 9

One for fight fans, cheer on boxers as they put 'em up for Ringside's ninth fight night. There'll be nine match-ups on the card with the bell ringing for the first fight at 6.30pm. Entry includes a drink and you can reserve your spot by messaging WeChat ID 'palikshanova'.

Ringside Boxing , 580 Nanjing Xi Lu 30 Jan

Food & Drink

Hot Topics: 2021 Beer Trends

Broaden your beer understandings at Mikkeller’s first session of Hot Topics on Tuesday, a guided tasting event that takes you through all things beer. For this class, the focus is on predicting where the ever-evolving craft beer scene will go in 2021. Crystal balls aside, you'll get to taste and discuss six beers with pronounced flavour profiles including a fruited IPA, milkshake IPA, crushable lager, hard seltzers, a non-ABV beer and an approachable sour (five oz pour each). To sign up add the WeChat ID 'sophiesteiner'.

Mikkeller , 98 Yanping Lu 26 Jan

Vegetarian Wine Dinner

Tuck into a five-course vegetarian wine-paired dinner at Bird on Wednesday night courtesy of Wine's Link. The dishes balance elements and seasonal vegetables together to maximise your eating experience – like compressed tomato with wasabi, chickpea and yeast (representing fire) or the herbal chocolate with pollen, passion fruit and coconut (representing earth). To book a seat call 137 9704 0109.

Bird , 50 Wuyuan Lu 27 Jan

Natural Groove

Sip your way through an array of funky-flavoured natural wines at X Bar on Thursday night. All wines are supplied in magnum by Soif and poured by co-owner Francois Seguin. DJs Saucy and Mimi Moonflower will be setting the soundtrack for the night with disco, pop and house grooves.

X Bar , 7 Donghu Lu 28 Jan

Egg Zhenning Opening Party

Popular neighbourhood café Egg is opening its second location on Zhenning Lu with a deal-filled day headlined by a 5km fun-run led by F45's GM Lauren Hogan (sign up for that here). As well as the fun-run, there will be a load of giveaways, party pancakes, doughnuts, a coffee happy hour, free sparkling wine from 2-5pm and live music from The Ukuladies.

Egg Zhenning , No 181, Lane 465 Zhenning Lu 30 Jan

Heritage Sessions Vol#3 [Con]fusion

The latest chapter of Sessions at Heritage features a guest appearance from chef Koen Vessies (Tomatito) for a collision of flavours from two different parts of the globe. In this case, it's pan-Asian meets Spanish cuisine for a six-course sharing menu (368RMB per person) that includes dishes like foie gras mini bikinis with smoked chipotle and green apple and six-hour slow-cooked beef cheek on banana and passionfruit pastels. You can then make things boozy with two hours of free-flow bubbles (an extra 148RMB per person). Bookings are essential, call 6312 9089 for those.

Heritage by Madison , 600 Zhongshan Dong Er Lu 30 Jan

Music & Nightlife

[POSTPONED] Kobe Bryant Memorial Jam

Pay tribute to basketball icon Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna a year on from their tragic passing at STARGAZE's memorial jam at UP on Wednesday. Bring your favourite Lakers jerseys and honour their memories with a night full of drink specials, lucky draws, hip hop and more.

UP Shanghai , 688 Shaanxi Bei Lu 27 Jan

Breakfast Club feat. Zhiqi

Eat and meet with the Elevator crew and other DJs from around the scene this weekend, but only after you've danced with them till dawn. Bejiing's Zhiqi is this week’s guest behind the decks and is joined by Mau Mau, Nono, Yinan and Offskii, with visuals from VJ ADHDI. Once you've survived the all-night rager, you can give your bleary-eyed self a pat on the back and enjoy breakfast free of charge in the club.

Elevator , 265 Nandan Dong Lu 29 Jan

Steampunk Night

Inferno is bringing fantasy to life with a steampunk-themed party on Saturday. If you don’t know the genre, imagine a futuristic 1800s or a Victorian-era England in a modern-day sci-fi. Think humans with metal arms and wardrobes that consist of pilot goggles, corsets and bowler hats. DJs Berserkir and Timecreeper are turning the cogs behind the decks with their own interpretations of steampunk sounds.

Inferno , 462 Changle Lu 30 Jan

Pop Songs Your Boyfriend Never Knew About Vol 1

Shake it to tunes you've probably never heard of at Specters' new indie party that’s inspired by a 1996 song from American indie-pop band Tullycraft. DJs Fanmu, Shiyu, Nick and Yihe will showcase the sounds that never get played in the public realm from indie pop, shoegaze, indie rock, post punk and more. The night also doubles as the launch of Botanic Garden Zine #4, a Chinese DIY zine – there are only 50 copies available, so arrive early to grab yours. For more information, click here.

Specters , 753 Yuyuan Lu 31 Jan

Film

Documentary screening: Tiger

This Wednesday, The Camel is screening two-part sports documentary Tiger that chapters the rise, fall and eventual comeback of golfing legend Tiger Woods. The film features revealing interviews with the people he was closest to and contain detailed footage of his life on and off the course, culminating in his famous 2019 Masters win. Episode one starts at 7pm and episode two at 8.30pm. Upgrade your viewing with butter chicken curry for 38RMB from 5-9pm.

The Camel , 97 XiangYang Bei Lu 27 Jan

Art & Theatre

People and Place – Leica Oskar Barnack Award 40th Anniversary

Catch a selection of works from the 2020 finalists of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award (LOBA) at SCoP’s exhibition before it closes this Sunday. Named after the designer of the first Leica camera, the award – now celebrating its 40th anniversary – recognises photography that focuses on the relationship between humans and the environment. The exhibition also shows selected works from the award’s 40-year archive.

Shanghai Center of Photography , 2555 Longteng Dadao 28 Nov - 31 Jan

Family-friendly

Australia Day 2021 Celebrations

Whip out your greens and golds for AustCham's Australia Day extravaganza at El Santo on Saturday. One for the whole family, expect a ripper of an afternoon with live music, an Aussie barbecue, a magician, charity raffles and more. There'll even be Lamingtons and Anzac biscuits, as well as a countdown of the top 20 songs from the 2020 Triple J Hottest 100. To register, click here.

El Santo , 158 Julu Lu 30 Jan

Lantern Making Workshop

Assist your kids in the art of lantern-making this Saturday. One of the most popular Chinese New Year decorations, this workshop from APM lasts two hours and will teach little ones how to create bright red Lanterns for the Year of the Ox (materials are provided). All sales from the session go directly towards funding libraries in underprivileged rural communities in China. Add the WeChat ID 'APM-A-Pleines-Mains' to sign up.

Ruby Yu Hotel , 669 Jin Guang Lu 30 Jan

CNY travel forecast: COVID tests, quarantine and 1.7 billion trips

Everything we know so far about travelling in and out of Shanghai for the Spring Festival

Posted: 5:03 pm, 25 January 2021

It's good news: Shanghai's PM2.5 levels are down and green spaces are on the up

Next goal? Ecological city by 2025

By: Yu Zhiming Posted: 4:54 pm, 22 January 2021