Celebrating Cologne Carnival in Beijing? It is happening! The tradition of carnival in Europe dates back about 5000 years. It has changed a lot over time, but the core idea remains the same.
Cologne Carnival is one of the most famous carnival celebrations, dating back to 1823. Nowadays it is one of the largest street festivals in Europe. To experience a Beijing version of carnival, “Landgraf” is your best bet. It is a restaurant and hidden gem of Cologne Culture, bringing the German Carnival to Beijing twice a year.
The traditional start of the fifth season is 11 minutes past 11 o’clock on the 11th day of the 11th month. With the time difference and all, it usually starts at 8:11 pm. But the spirit is authentic.
If you are looking to indulge in some traditions of your home country, or want to explore something new, head to “Landgraf” for their famous Cologne Carnival in Beijing.
Landgraf is based on the famous German restaurant dating back to 1639 and serves a range of German cuisine and a variety of imported German beers, from Pilsner, Lager and Weizen beer to Cologne Kölsch. The 700-sq-meter interior is designed to resemble a typical German pub with a bar-counter in the middle of the restaurant and a large copper beer cooling system hanging from the ceiling serving fresh draft beer.
Venue: Brauhaus-Restaurant Der Landgraf
Date: 27th Jan. (Saturday)
Time: 19:11
Address: 2A, Pufang Road, Fangzhang, Beijing
丰台区方庄蒲芳路甲2号
Contact: 6768 2664
If you are still in need of a costume, Beijing has many options to buy something. You might try online shopping, one of the multiple markets in Beijing, or might get lucky at Roundabout, if you don’t want to buy anything, you can opt for a costume rental.
Of course feel free to get all crafty and design your own costume.
Taobao
Taobao is amazing that basically you can find anything on it. The only problem is that it’s only shown in Chinese that you might need to ask a Chinese friend or colleague for support for this shopping spree. Or try baopals.com it’s another Taobao in English, however, it limited the search result. When searching for a costume, try “化装舞会服装” or “cosplay” (generally more revealing) as initial keywords and click through a variety of costumes.
Website (Chinese only): www.taobao.com
Roundabout
In their Shunyi Retail Store they sell all sorts of exciting finds, including a vast variety of costumes. All purchases in this charity store will make a difference to the life of someone less fortunate. As the items they sell change every day, you may want to call ahead, to check what they have in store.
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday 9.30am – 5.30pm
Address: Yuyang Road West, adjacent to Yosemite Villas, Houshayu Town, Shunyi District
北京市顺义区后沙峪镇榆阳西路（邻近优山美地别墅区）
Contact: 1371 8053 814
Dong Fang Mei Costume Rental
With a wide selection of rental costumes, you may order from their website or head to their small Shuangjing location (inside an apartment building) to choose the right one in person. No matter if Power Ranger, Pirate, Pilot, or Princess they most probably have what you are looking for. Prices of costumes range from RMB 80 to RMB 150 per day.
Website (Chinese only): www.fuzhuangguoji.com
Address: Room 201, Bldg 18, Baihuanjiayuan, Shuangjing qiao, Chaoyang District
朝阳区东三环双井桥北东环18公寓3号楼2单元201室
Shang Pin Yi Ran Clothing Rental
This is another costume rental in an apartment complex. It is possible to select something online or see the costumes at their shop. They offer everything from traditional Chinese clothing, to Star Wars costumes or Prince.
Website (Chinese only): www.spyr.cn
Address: Room A02, B1F, No. 33 Guangqu Road, Chaoyang District (On the North of ShuangJing Carrefour)
北京市朝阳区广渠路33号石韵浩庭3号楼底商泰和写字间B1层A02室（双井家乐福北）
