The Great Canadian Christmas Dinner

The Canada China Business Council organizes a Christmas dinner each year and it is one of the most popular Canadian events in Beijing. This is an evening of entertainment and food, including live musical performances, magic shows, and a visit by Santa Clause himself. It is a good opportunity for the Canadian community and friends to get together to celebrate the holiday season.

Canadian Charity Ball

The Canadian Charity Ball is an annual black-tie event first organized by the Canadian Embassy starting in 1987.  The event gathers Canadians and friends of Canadians in Beijing to raise money for charity.  Beginning in 2007 it was organized by the Canada China Business Council. In 2008, the ball theme was Olympic Journey, linking the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics with the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.  Proceeds from the Charity ball went to the Half the Sky Foundation which was founded in 2004 to benefit Chinese orphans in Chinese government approved orphanages.  Furthermore, in light of the catastrophe in WenChuan, Sichuan, proceeds also went to a Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to support the relief efforts there. The event is held in late spring of each year.    

Canada Day

The Canada Day Celebrations is an annual outdoor event organized by the Canada China Business Council to celebrate Canada’s National Day.  The very first large celebrations in Beijing for Canada Day began in 1998. It is an opportunity for the Canadian community to have fun with their family and friends in a relaxed, casual environment. Previously, Canada Day was held at the Canadian Embassy but with the popularity and success of the event, the crowds quickly outgrew the venue and Canada Day has now become the largest and most recognized expatriate event in Beijing.

In 2008, over 1200 people attended the event and it featured corporate exhibitions of companies to showcase their products and services, and the day program offered a chance to participate in a variety of popular contests such as the Chili-Eating and Watermelon-Eating contests, Canada Day Trivia, and other fun events.