[See & Be Seen] Check Out the Belgian Beer Fest Happening NOW

Nothing brings a comforting sense of community and tradition quite like drinking ice-cold Belgian beer in downtown Shanghai in 17-degree weather. And I'm not being sarcastic. Beer is not really my drink of choice – like, ever – however, I'm a sucker for a good old festival with booths full of food, white guys with beards wearing cable-knit sweaters, and an overall sense of joy. That's exactly what the Belgian Beer Garden at PAC was giving.

The festival is currently taking place (in its final weekend) in Jing'an District, at the PAC Mall. It was easy to find – the cheerful crowd made it obvious that everyone was excited to get WASTED at 5pm. There were more than a dozen booths serving all kinds of beer and snacks. French (redacted) Belgian fries were the crowd's favorite, obviously. As someone who knows almost nothing about beer, it was exciting to learn that not only does the darker beer have a stronger flavor, but it also comes in so many varieties that it's hard to keep track. My personal favorite was the bizarre chocolate beer from Kasteel, recommended by both the Belgian Consul General Pascal Buffin and the President of the Benelux Chamber, Jonathan Xu.

I snagged a few quotes from both of them...

What was the purpose behind the event, besides getting demolished by the beer?

Jonathan: The whole point was cultural exchange – highlighting Belgian culture for both Chinese people and foreigners alike. We have more than 30 beer brands represented here, as well as delicious Belgian food. We saw incredible success with this event last week, and hopefully this week too. If we could, we'd organize these kinds of events every weekend. With good beers come good stories.

What makes this festival so special and worth visiting?

Pascal: Besides the delicious beers and snacks, it was important for us to reflect Belgian culture. In Belgium, we looove partying. Actually, Belgian beer culture – I don't mean, just the beer itself – is part of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. It's everything that goes with beer: our way of consuming it, cooking with it, how it brings people together. From monks making cheese with beer to friends casually gathering at cafes for a pint, it's all part of our culture. And we felt it was important and fitting to share that with the people of Shanghai.

Do you have any authentic Belgian beer drinking advice?

Pascal: Oh yes, I do. Every time when you see tourists drinking beer in Belgium, they are trying to drink as much variety as they can all at once. I get it, you want to try it all, but it is not how you should enjoy it. Because you know, beer can actually get you very drunk if you're not careful. The darker the beer, the stronger the kick. Some beer can be as boozy as whiskey, so it's better to be mindful.

And now, without further ado, here's our See & Be Seen for this LAST weekend of the Belgian Beer Festival.

If you go...

Jing'an PAC Mall

688 Changde Rd