The Lowdown on the Great Wall Festival

The what, when, where and who of the big fest.

The Great Wall Music Festival is almost upon us. With less than a month left to go, if you’re into DJs, electronic or trance music, and the music festival scene, read on! We’re sharing the scoop on everything you need to know about the festival, especially the most important what, when, where and who details of the event.

Tell Me More!

The Great Wall Music Festival is a great party featuring lots of different DJs and artists, all under the shadow of the beautiful and scenic Great Wall. The scenery is amazing. The Wall is even lit up for the festival, adding to the atmosphere along with the green hills and mountains surrounding the venue. Expect to see two main stages scheduled with bigger acts throughout the day and other DJs mixed in too. Lots of the fun can be found in the lively summer festival party crowd (the drinks make sure of that!). Make sure to do lots of people watching and check out the interesting fashions. Tickets tend to sell out fast so keep reading to find out how to get in on the fun before it’s too late.

When Is It?

Important information first: the Great Wall Music Festival is on Sunday, June 1, 2014. Doors are open 1 p.m. through 10 p.m. Since it’s one day only, make sure to get there on time to enjoy the most for your money.

Where To?

You know that big wall you’ve seen around? That’s where it is! Specifically, the festival is located at the Beijing Juyongguan Great Wall area. 

Who’s Who

And now the news we’ve all been waiting for. Who will be performing at the festival? As we mentioned earlier, there are a few stages with acts scheduled all afternoon and evening long. Here are the big acts scheduled for the festival:

Great Wall Stage

• Armin van Buuren

• Afrojack

• Don Diablo

• Apster

• D-Wayne

Heineken DJ Mag Stage

• Paul Kalkbrenner

• Technasia

• Anja Schneider

Supporting DJs

• UFO DJ

• DJ Spark

• Mansun

• Ghost

• Chill

• Kami

• Frankie Lam

• DJ L

• Jimmy H

• DJ Neo

• Ouyang

• Xiuyang

But since nobody has time to see them all, we’ll highlight some of the biggest acts at the festival. Armin van Burren is a huge presence in trance music who has remained humble despite his success. Like the genre itself, Burren has transformed and evolved over the years. Despite the inferences that now come with being called a “trance DJ,” he embraces the genre that made him a success.

Another big name at the festival is Afrojack, a Dutch jack-of-all-trades, who is a fashion designer, DJ, and actor. Don’t expect him to be happy staying still anytime soon. His next album is quite ambitious and features loads of well-known artists alongside him.

Paul Kalkbrenner is a big name in Beijing already, routinely filling clubs along with his brother Fritz. His show is one that is not to be missed, especially because he mixes his techno music on the fly on stage.

For our last recommendation at The Great Wall Festival, check out Don Diablo. His unpredictable and unconventional style is unique, and this Dutch DJ’s mixes have been described as electro, indie-dance, and progressive.

Festival Logistics

Tickets for the festival range from 480 RMB to 780 RMB, depending on when you buy them and whether you’re looking for general admission or VIP. Tickets can be bought at www.GetTickets.cn. Bus tickets are an additional cost and range from 60 RMB to 80 RMB. Buses leave from the Beijing Agricultural Exhibition and the Beijing Language & Culture University East Gate. Check this website for bus schedule details.

How to Get In Free (Shh!)

Want to know a secret? The Great Wall Music Fest is still looking for volunteers to help out this year! While you were probably planning on attending the festival rather than working at it, there are actually some nice perks for volunteers. The biggest perk, of course, is free entry. While you may not be able to spend hours in the front row of your favorite performer’s show, you will at least be able to catch some music.

Plus, if you’re a standout volunteer, you might be able to get free access for a friend. If you’re more interested in the professional experience than the music, this volunteer opportunity can even qualify as an internship. What can you expect to be doing as a volunteer? Anything from greetings guests, running errands around the festival, helping with promotions online, outdoors or at the venue, helping out with media, and more.

There are a very wide variety of jobs for a wide skillset. So, should you volunteer? It depends. Are you proficient in Chinese? Are you responsible, enthusiastic, and tactful? Then by all means, yes! More information is at the website here, or send an email to: [email protected].

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