Beijing

German lit and coffee

The Bookworm bookstore in Sanlitun will host a night of German literature with German writer and director Doris Dorrie, Austrian actor Martin Waltz and Swiss authors Hildegard Keller and Peter Weber. After the readings (in German with Chinese translations), the authors will take questions from the audience. The free program is sponsored by the Austrian Cultural Forum, the Swiss embassy and the Goethe Institute Beijing.

7 pm, April 29. Bookworm, Building 4, Sanlitun Nanlu (South Road), Chaoyang district. 010-6586-9507.

Farm-fresh food

The International Newcomers Network invites expats to enjoy "two awesome hours of deliciousness" as the group's monthly meeting focuses on the farmer's market and local foods. You can also buy a great range of different products like organic fruits and veggies, dairy from Greenyard, cookies from Big Bear Bakery, pies, teas, ice cream and much more. The producers will have a lot of samples you can taste. INN meetings are open to all foreign passport holders living in Beijing. Meetings are held on the last Monday of each month.

10 am-noon. 50 yuan ($8). Capital Club Athletic Center, third Floor, Low-Rise Capital Mansion, 6 Xinyuan Nanlu (South Road), Chaoyang district. 010-8486-2225 Ext 136.

Be one in a million

The founder of Expat-blog.com recently announced that the helpful site has signed up its 1 millionth member, and will soon operate under the name Expat.com, for which it recently won the rights. The global site offers information on life abroad, with individual pages and blogs for members in every corner of the world. Posting members in China include a French journalist looking for interview subjects, a Londoner looking for a Beijing party on St. George's Day last week - plus the usual suspects looking for a job, a school, a bike or a vet.

Expat-blog.com.

-MIKE PETERS

Hong Kong

Ju Ming sculpture garden

Taiwan artist Ju Ming is making his first large-scale solo exhibit appearance with his Sculpting the Living World. The exhibition includes 120 members of the sculptor's

Living World family series with his trademark figures created over three decades and cast in bronze, ceramics, stone, stainless steel and wood.

10 pm-6 pm, Monday to Friday. 10 am-7 pm, Sundays and holidays. Closed on Thursdays. Until June 15. Hong Kong Museum of Art. 852-2721-0116. Hk.art.museum.

I-1 World Muay Thai Grand Prix

Top Muay Thai talents will be vying for the No 1 spot as Hong Kong's best and rising star fighters take on champions from England, Mongolia, Peru, Russia and Thailand. Maycon Oller (Brazil), Vahid Shahbazi (Iran), Tim Thomas (England) and Yodteera Sityodtong (Thailand) are headlining the bouts at the World Title and International Title Super-4 Championships as they duke it out for the 67-kilogram Super-4 title.

6:30 pm, April 28. HK$200-1,000. Star Hall, KITEC, 1 Trademart Dr, Kowloon Bay.

-TIMO CHUI

Shanghai

Kia Extreme Games

If you find the Summer Olympics dull, this mad hash of BMX freestyle, aggressive skateboarding, speed climbing and freestyle moto x may be just the ticket. Around 200 of the best in the business are coming to Shanghai as the city hosts the prestigious event for the eighth time. Big draws include Vince Byron, Andy MacDonald and the Yasutoko Brothers. Tickets cost 200 yuan per day at the door or 150 if you book early.

10:30 am-6:30 pm, April 30-May 3. KIC Jiangwan Sports Center, 346 Guohe Lu (Road), Yangpu district. 021-3461-0276. Kiaworldextremegames.com.

JZ Spring

From gypsy quartets to colorful Latino bands, New Grasslands to Tempero Brazil, enjoy three days of live acts at venues in the city's Jingan neighborhood (Jingan Temple Square, Jingan Park, Jingan Kerry Center) from Wednesday. Don't fret if you don't know the bands' names. The people from JZ are vouching for them. Ticket prices peak at 380 yuan but there is no charge for many of the acts.

Midday-late, April 30-May 2. Various venues. 021-962388 or call Shanghai Center Theater at 021-6279-8948.

Strawberry Music Festival

Concertgoers are spoiled for choice this May Day weekend courtesy of another "three-dayer" stacked full of acts that kicks off on Thursday. Headliners at the Expo Garden Park include Finland's hard-rocking HIM, Cut Copy and French electro specialists Justice. Tickets cost 180 yuan per day or 480 for the whole festival.

Midday-late, May 1-3. Expo Garden Park, Expo Avenue near Zhoujiadu Road, Pudong.

-MATT HODGES

(China Daily 04/27/2014 page5)