This year's Longtan Temple Fair will feature more than 100 activities
as part of its theme of "eulogizing the
nation and
welcoming Macau's return to the Motherland." A large dragon dance contest will be
held, with competitors from Macau joining in. A chess competition will be held in
Longyinge Pavilion. Besides the routine folklore activities, the fair will include
some modern touches, such as a car exhibition and real estate promotion.
Date: Februrary 15-21
Bus 116, 60, 6, 352, 12, 807
Information: 67149354
This quiet Daoist Temple will be turned into a busy marketplace during
the spring festival. Besides calligraphy, 
seal cutting, a
stamp exchange and Beijing folklore performances, the traditional activities such as
"touching the three godly monkeys" at the gate and riding the donkeys attract
large crowds each year.
Date: February 16-21
Ticket: 10 yuan (individual), 8 yuan (group)
Information: 63463531 (Chinese only)
This is one of the city's busiest temple fairs. The park is the site of
the altar where sacrifices were formerly offered
to the earth,
and this year's fair will open with a performance imitating the Qing Dynasty sacrificial
ceremony. Activities and events during the fair will include acrobatics shows, karaoke,
folk performances, children's puppet shows, shadow plays, Suzhou opera, a folk arts and
crafts exhibition, fashion show, Beijing folklore show, traditional Chinese clothes show,
flower show, and flea market, food street and bookstore street.
Yonghegong subway, bus 13, 116, 62 for the south gate; trolley bus 104, 108, or bus 27, 358, 119, 407, 18, 328, 803 or 912 for west gate.
Ticket: 5 yuan for individuals, 4 yuan for groups.
Information: 64214657, 64281589 (Chinese only)
This served as the set for the famous TV
series "A Dream of Red Mansions," based on the classic Chinese novel of the same
name. A large parade of the imperial family and the "twelve beauties" as
described in the novel, plus a Peking opera performance based on "A Dream of Red
Mansions" will be the main attractions here.
Amazingly, you can apparently see cock fighting at this fair. There will also be xiangsheng performances, a fashion show, and a traditional Chinese concert. Alternatively, do some shopping at the book market and Beijing folk arts and crafts market, try Tianjin and local snacks, or just take a horse ride around the garden.
Bus: 351, 122, 59
Time: Jan. 16-21
Information: 63544994 (Chinese only)