(CNN) -- Planning to visit China during the Olympics, but already worried about what else there will be to do besides watching the Games?
Dancers perform the traditional lion dance at Tiananmen Square in Beijing in early August.
Don't fret: the Olympics is about more than sport. The athletic competition offers the host nation a chance to offer its culture to the rest of the world.
The following is a partial social and cultural calendar of notable events taking place in China during the Olympics month of August.
AUGUST 1
Torch Relay: Tianjin
ART: 2D and 3D: Negotiating Visual Languages, August 1-September 28, PKM Gallery Beijing
CONCERT: Love My China -- Songs Collection of China, Minorities Cultural Palace Theatre
LIVE MUSIC: Bling Bling, Yugong Yishan AUGUST 2
Torch Relay: Tianjin
ART: Chinese Character Biennale, August 2-September 6, Ku Art Center
PUPPETRY: Bilingual Magic Puppet Show Three Baby Pigs, July 19-August 10, China Puppet Theatre
LIVE MUSIC: MicroMu Live Recording, Jiangjinjiu AUGUST 3
Torch Relay: Sichuan
CULTURE: Bird-raising story by Beijing Bird Men, Park in Beijing
DINNER THEATRE: Peking Night Show, throughout the year, No. 1 Dayabao Hutong
LIVE Formula 1 broadcast from Hungaroring, Hungary, Pavillion AUGUST 4
Torch Relay: Sichuan
ART: Foundations Wen Fang, June 21-August 13, Paris-Beijing Photo Gallery I
FORUM: Olympic Champion Forum, August 4-5, Peking University Centennial Memorial Hall
CONCERT: The Masters of Voices -- Assemble under the Five-Ring Flag, August 4-5, National Center for the Performing Arts Opera House AUGUST 5
Torch Relay: Sichuan
MUSEUM: Olympics Postal Stamps, July 20 through end of August, Imperial City Art Museum
OPERA: Yueju Opera: The Butterfly Lovers, August 5-7, National Center for the Performing Arts Theatre
LIVE MUSIC: Sambasia, MAO Livehouse AUGUST 6
Torch Relay: Arrives in Beijing
ART: Notes of Conception: A Local Narrative of Chinese Contemporary Painting, July 12-August 15, Iberia Center for Contemporary Art
MUSEUM: Capital Museum, permanent displays include Buddhist statues, jade, calligraphy, etc.
FOLK ART: Chinese traditional variety show, daily, Lao She Tea House
AUGUST 7
Torch Relay: Beijing
ART: Guanghua Road 2008, July 26 through August, L.A. Gallery Beijing
CONCERT: Large--scale Chinese music concert: Ariose Years, August 5-7, Haidian Theater
LIVE MUSIC: Panjir, Jiangjinjiu AUGUST 8
Olympics Opening Ceremony at 8:08 p.m. (12:08 p.m. GMT)
ART: Andy Worhol Portraits: Sports, Stars, and Society, July 26-September 21, Faurschou Beijing
CLASS: Family Kite making and mask decorating, The Hutong
LIVE MUSIC: African Nights, Yugong Yishan AUGUST 9
MUSEUM: The Palace Museum; Several new exhibitions open before the Olympics inauguration
MUSICAL: Rock Action musical: Monkey King world premiere; August 9-17; August 9-17; Beijing Exhibition Theater
LIVE MUSIC: Taiwan aboriginals "A Night of Ancestral Souls"; Yugong Yishan AUGUST 10
ART: Colors & Olympism -- 3rd International art biennale, July 8-August 12, National Art Museum of China
HIKE: A long way to catch a train, Beijing Hikers AUGUST 11
ART: TF Chen's Art and Olympics, through August 14, Bridge Art Center
CLASS: Foot Reflexology, China Culture Club
ACROBATICS: Splendid Real Top Acrobatics, July 4-August 31, Poly Theatre AUGUST 12
ART: "One World" The 2nd International Print Art Touring Exhibition, July 12-August 14, Amelie Art Gallery
MUSEUM: Beijing Police Museum, permanent displays include rare relics collected from criminal cases and investigation interactive games
DANCE: Large-scale creative Vaudeville -- The Rhyme of Four Seasons, August 10-13, Tian Qiao Theater AUGUST 13
ART: Plusmarca: Art & Sport, July 20-August 20, Iberia Center for Contemporary Art
OPERA: Visual Peking Opera Madame White Snake, August 13-14, National Center for the Performing Arts Theatre AUGUST 14
ART: Gao Feng: Traditional Metamorphosis, July 13-August 15, Art + Beijing
MUSEUM: The Great Civilizations, through September, Beijing World Art Museum
MUSIC: Brit Pop, MAO Livehouse AUGUST 15
ART: Wang Du, through August 20, Arario Beijing
DANCE: Sky Dance by Kook Soo--ho Didim Dance Company, Forbidden City Music Hall
LIVE MUSIC: Made in Ninxia, 2 Kolegas AUGUST 16
ART: A Gallery With A View -- Conversation 2008 Image China, through August 31, Inter Art Center and Gallery
CLASS: Mahjong Workshop, China Culture Club
MUSICAL: Multimedia Musical Drama Marco Polo, the Imaginary Journey World Premiere, National Center for the Performing Arts Opera House AUGUST 17
ART: Xijing Olympics: An Exhibition by the Xijing Men Collective, August 17-29, Boers-Li Gallery
HIKE: Tang Dynasty Cave Dwellings, Beijing Hikers
DRAMA: Large--scale Fairy Tale Friendlies, August 15-23, Anderson Theatre AUGUST 18
ART: Our Future: The Guy & Myriam Ullens Foundation Collection, July 19-October 21, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art
MUSEUM: Beijing Planetarium and Ancient Observatory; permanent displays exhibit ancient China's astronomy, epigraphs from the Qing Dynasty and other ancient astronomical instruments
DRAMA: Zen Nonverbal Stage Spectacular, August 18-31, Haidian Theater AUGUST 19
ART: Unmoved, July 12-August 24, Galleria Continua
SIGHT: Beijing Zoo, check out the pandas!
CONCERT: A Night for Piano in China, National Center for the Performing Arts Opera House AUGUST 20
ART: Wu Jian'an: The Heaven of Nine Levels, July 12-August 24, Chambers Fine Art
CLASS: Tai Chi -- Rhythms and Eating Well, The Hutong
MUSICAL: Action Musical Terracotta Warriors, August 19-23, Beijing Exhibition Theater AUGUST 21
Olympic finals in football (soccer), volleyball
ART: Li Zhanyang: "Rent"-- Rent Collection Yard, April 26-August 24, Galerie Urs Meile
DRAMA: Autumn Begins, August 20-21, National Center for the Performing Arts Theatre AUGUST 22
Olympic finals in volleyball
ART: Summer Group Show, July 26-August 26, Aura Gallery
BALLET: The Red Detachment of Women by China National Ballet, August 22-23, National Center for the Performing Arts Opera House
LIVE MUSIC: Punk v.. Hip-Hop, MAO Livehouse AUGUST 23
Olympic finals in basketball, football, volleyball
MUSEUM: Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum; Permanent exhibition: Elements of traditional Chinese building techniques
LIVE MUSIC: Tag Team Records Gathering, 2 Kolegas AUGUST 24
Olympics Closing Ceremony; finals in basketball, volleyball, several athletics competitions including the marathon
MUSEUM: Poly Art Museum; Displays include stone Buddhist effigies and ancient bronzes. AUGUST 25
ART: Selection of paintings of China's Ming & Qing dynasties, July 16-August 29, National Art Museum of China
CULTURE: The Preservation of Beijing Hutongs, The Hutong
OPERA: Peking Opera, daily, Huguang Guild Hall AUGUST 26
MUSEUM: "One World, One Dream"; early August through October, Beijing World Art Museum
ACROBATICS: Top acrobatic class, daily, Tiandi Theater
MARTIAL ARTS: The Legend of Kung Fu, daily, The Red Theatre AUGUST 27
MUSEUM: Beijing Museum of Natural History; Temporary exhibition: Marine Life, through August
OPERA: Kunju Opera The Peony Pavilion, August 27-29, People's Liberation Army Opera House
LIVE MUSIC: Hanggai, Yugong Yishan AUGUST 28
ART: Red Gate Stars, August 2-31, Red Gate Gallery
BALLET: Raise the Red Lantern, directed by Zhang Yimou, August 24-28, National Center for the Performing Arts Opera House
MAGIC: The Legend of Magic, July 1-August 31, Tiandi Theater AUGUST 29
ART: Zhangjian Solo Exhibition, August 1-September 1, Felix Ringel Gallery Beijing
OPERA: Peking Opera Version of Puccini's Opera Torandot, August 29-31, National Center for the Performing Arts Opera House
LIVE MUSIC: Gia + HOTB, Girl Kill Girl, 2 Kolegas AUGUST 30
ART: The Day After Tomorrow: Liu Ye solo exhibition, August 30-October 29, Yan Club Arts Centre
ACROBATICS: Traditional Chinese acrobatics show, daily, Chaoyang Theater
LIVE MUSIC: Section 6, Yugong Yishan AUGUST 31
HIKE: A Long Way to Pray for Rain, Beijing Hikers
FOLK ART: Peking Opera, daily, Chaoyang Theater
LIVE MUSIC: Zhou Yunpeng, Jiangjinjiu Bar
Researched and complied for CNN by Ying Ying Joyce Choi
All About China • Culture and Lifestyle • Olympic Games
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