By early evening the light goes soft over the Wei River, and people drift out along the water and into the squares to walk, talk and fly a kite in the last of the breeze. Later, the city's attention shifts indoors, to bars with live bands, pool tables and dance floors.
Weifang's nightlife is modest and local rather than polished for tourists. It suits visitors who are happy to ask around for directions, accept a friendly bar as it comes, and treat an evening out as a way of meeting the city rather than a checklist. Venues come and go, so confirm current details locally before you set out.
Where to go out in Weifang
1. Nanxiahe Street
This street, near the river, is the most straightforward starting point for an evening. M-Box bar sits here, about 50 metres north of the Riverdale apartments entrance and also reachable through Tai Hua Mall; the source describes a live band, occasional amateur foreign singers or guitarists, an English drink menu with foreign liquor and a friendly English-speaking owner. It reads as the foreigners' bar of choice, so ask around for directions.
Suits a night that begins with live music and a mixed local and foreign crowd. Because the source does not say whether the venue is still trading, treat it as a lead rather than a certainty.
2. East Shengli Street
California Dreamin, roughly 200 metres east of the Yuanfei Hotel, is described as a Western-looking bar with a live band and fairly English-speaking staff in cowboy hats. The street itself is a practical anchor for an evening on the eastern side of the centre.
Suits a night when you want live music and a bar that makes some allowance for visitors who do not speak Chinese.
3. Dong Feng Street East, Zao Chun Yuan
Tie Mu Zhen sits in the Zao Chun Yuan area and is described as having a pool table and usually not being too crowded. It is a quieter option than the live-music bars.
Suits a low-key night, a small group, or an early drink before moving on somewhere louder.
4. Si Ping Lu
Kiss Bar on Si Ping Lu is described as small and dank, with a live singer on stage a couple of times an hour, and it closes at 00:30. Buses 16 and 56 serve the area.
Suits a short, late stop rather than a whole evening, and a night that ends before the small hours.
5. Dance clubs
0536 Dance Club, also on the bus 16 and 56 routes, is described as the dance club of choice in Weifang. The source warns that it can get raucous at weekends, with fights breaking out unexpectedly.
Suits people who want a dance floor and are comfortable in a loud, unpredictable room. Keep your wits about you on weekend nights.
6. Nightclubs aimed at younger locals
Soho Bar is described as the top choice among younger locals: a nightclub with very loud music and a table and bar-chair reservation system that the source found difficult for a foreigner to understand.
Suits a night when you want to see where younger Weifangers go, and you are willing to sort out the seating arrangements on the spot.
7. Squares and riverside areas
The People's Government Square, the River Area and Kite Square are named as good places to people-watch, fly a kite, walk or get some fresh air. The source notes that Weifangers are unaccustomed to foreigners, so expect some extra attention.
Suits an early-evening stroll before a bar, or a night that stays outdoors. Bring a kite if you have one.
How a night out unfolds
The sources give only fragments of timing: Kiss Bar closes at 00:30, and 0536 Dance Club is said to get raucous at weekends. Beyond that, no reliable pattern of dinner hours or closing times is recorded, so plan around an early-evening walk or square visit, then a bar or club, and confirm closing times locally on the night.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Weifang International Kite Festival — held each April, on or around 20 April, with kiters from around the world competing in categories from largest kite to synchronised and team flying. Visitors may bring their own kite. The kite grounds are about an hour outside the city by bus, and many hotels run their own buses out.
- Spring Festival — the eve of Spring Festival is when people replace old Yangjiabu New Year woodcuts with new ones to bring blessings for the year ahead.
- National Day and its holiday week — early October.
- Double Ninth Festival — mid- to late October.
- Christmas Day — 25 December.
- New Year's Day — 1 January.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to combine a night out with the kite festival?
April, when the Weifang International Kite Festival is held each year on or around 20 April. Days are spent at the kite grounds; evenings can be spent in the city's bars.
Where do foreign visitors tend to drink?
The source names M-Box bar on Nanxiahe Street as the foreigners' bar of choice, with an English drink menu and an English-speaking owner, and California Dreamin on East Shengli Street as a Western-looking bar with a live band and fairly English-speaking staff.
How late do venues stay open?
The sources record only that Kiss Bar closes at 00:30. For everything else, check locally, as no opening hours are given.
Is there anywhere to go out that does not involve drinking?
Yes. The People's Government Square, the River Area and Kite Square are named as places to people-watch, walk, fly a kite or get some fresh air.
Decide whether your evening starts on a square or at a bar, confirm the details of any venue before you go, and plan the night around what the city actually offers.