Beijing

Good books, good cause

Everybody needs a good read to take along for spring break - or for a quiet lunch now that al fresco dining is so inviting. Grab a used book or two at the ongoing charity sale, organized at the International Montessori School of Beijing with the nonprofit Roundabout.

8:30 am-4:30 pm weekdays and 10 am-4 pm Saturday, through March 29. Building 8, A2, Xiangjian Beilu (North Road), Chaoyang district. 010-6432-8228.

Martial arts meets dance

If combining martial-arts moves with dance and music sounds like fun, check out Capoeira Mandinga Beijing for a multicultural aerobic workout - and some interactive folk songs in Portuguese. There are weekday sessions for adults and special classes for kids on Saturdays. Start with three trial classes for 100 yuan ($16).

7 pm weekdays for adults; 3-5 pm Saturdays for kids and 5-7 pm Saturdays for adults. Room 801, Building 9-10, Block E, Jiqingli Community, Chaowai Beijie near Chaoyangmen subway station Exit A. 186-1170-5854 (English and Portuguese). Capoeirabeijing.com.

A ghostly evening

Newman Tours takes kids (age 5 and older) and adults on a haunted-hutong tour around Prince Gong's Palace. The walk and talk led by an English-speaking guide includes all admission tickets and an 80 million yuan "supranatural" offering to a dead ancestor.

7-9 pm, Saturdays and Sundays. 260 yuan ($42) for adults, 130 yuan ($21) for ages 14 and under. Newman Tours, info@newmantours.com. 138-1777-0229.

- Mike Peters

Hong Kong

International Film Festival

More than 330 titles from more than 56 countries will be screened at 11 major cultural venues across Hong Kong at the 38th Hong Kong International Film Festival. The 15-day event will also pay homage to 40 years of the ICAC, the victims of Typhoon Yolanda on Philippines Day (March 30) and the festival's continuing collaboration with Youku through a four-shorts collaboration between Hong Kong, Chinese mainland, South Korea and Australian directors. The festival will open with Pang Ho-Cheung's Aberdeen and Fruit Chan's The Midnight After and will close with the Asian premiere of Dante Lam's That Demon Within.

Various times and locations. March 24-April 7. 852-2970-3300. Hkiff.org.hk.

Rugby, rugby, rugby

Hong Kong will be awash with all things rugby this week. The Hong Kong 10s at the Hong Kong Football Club, 28 teams competing at RugbyFest in King's Park Sports Ground in Kowloon and the signature Rugby 7s at Hong Kong Stadium in Happy Valley. More than 40,000 spectators are expected to roar along with the high-octane action during the lightning-quick 15-minute matches as the three-day event takes over large swaths of the city. Those without 7s tickets can check out HK Fan Zone, which runs six days along the New Central Waterfront. The 7s matches will be broadcast live from the stadium, which will feature live music, food and drink.

HK 10s: 10:15 am-9 pm, March 26 and 27. Various prices. Hong Kong Football Club. 852-3616-6453. Hongkongtens.com

RugbyFest: 9:30 am, March 26. King's Park Sport Ground. Kowloon. Free. Rugbyfest.org

HK Rugby 7s: Various times, March 28-90. Various prices. Hong Kong Stadium, Happy Valley. 852-2504-8311. Hksevens.com

HK Fan Zone: 9 am-11 pm, March 25-30. Free. The New Central Harbourfront. 852-2504-8311. Hkfanzone.com.

- Timo Chui

Shanghai

China Drifting Festival

Catch avant-garde Chinese acts like Duck Fight Goose, Shanghai's very own Re-TROS, and Pet Conspiracy along with Swiss act One Sentence. Supervisor as this traveling music festival stops over in Shanghai for one night between gigs in Beijing and dates in Europe. The festival has been running for several years to promote some of the nation's top independent bands. Tickets cost in the region of 100-150 yuan ($16-24).

9:30 pm, March 29. Qian Shui Wan, 179 Yi chang Lu (Road) (near Jiangning Road). China-drifting.cn.

Bruno Mars to debut

Hot on the heels of the Rolling Stones' gig at the hottest concert venue in town, Locked Out of Heaven singer-songwriter and showman Bruno Mars is set to shake the foundations of the same venue for his Shanghai debut. Tickets to see the Grammy Award-winning, Hawaii-born pop singer are available on Damai.com for between 480 yuan ($77.50) and 1,680 yuan. With a handful of hits having topped the Billboard Hot 100, this is one show you may not want to be locked out of.

7:30 pm, April 3. Mercedes-Benz Arena, 1,200 Expo Avenue, Pudong.

- Matt Hodges