National Day

You'd have to live under a rock to not know that this year's National Day marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Since only a carefully selected few will be allowed to attend the October 1 celebration in Tiananmen Square, you will probably have to watch the party on TV. And if you live anywhere near Changan Avenue, you may be a captive audience: curfews will be in force throughout the city center. 

The program below will be broadcast on every TV channel on October 1.
Tiananmen Square 

6 am Flag-Raising Ceremony. 

10 am-noon Blessing for the Motherland Parade. The half-million-strong parade will include a spectacular military flyover, and is divided into three sections: Reconstructing the Motherland, Brilliant Reform and Leaping Into the Millennium. 

8-10 pm Night Parade. Will be followed by fireworks in more than 10 sites around Beijing. 
Special celebratory events are also scheduled for the first week of October in the following locations: Zhongshan Park, Workers' Cultural Palace, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Beihai Park, Jingshan Park, Yuyuantan Park, Daguanyuan, Chinese Ethnic Minority Park and World Park.