Join the CFFC for Their First Ever Black Tie Ancient Silk Road Ball, June 6

Get ready Beijing, there is a new ball in town! On June 6, Chi Fan For Charity (CFFC) will be hosting the Black Tie Ancient Silk Road Ball to kick off the 2026 CFFC annual calendar. Taking place at Hamarkand Silk Road, a restaurant specializing in halal cuisine, the event marks CFFC's first-ever ball.

It promises to be an evening of elegance and community with a charitable cause at its heart. Highlights include a champagne reception, a premium caviar station by Mivela Caviar, a Silk Road dinner with wine pairings, an afterparty with live DJs and bands, a lucky draw and silent auction, plus gift bags worth over RMB 1,000 each as well as more surprises. 

As with all CFFC events, the goal is to raise money for charities and donations collected from the ball will be used to support the 2026 CFFC annual charity organizations and Autism Rehabilitation Centres for Children. Voting for the 2026 CFFC charities is now open, and if you would like to participate, you can follow this link.  

To find out more about the ball, we talked to CFFC Director Preston Thomas about the inspiration behind the Ancient Silk Road theme, why CFFC decided to host a ball for the first time, and his hopes of turning the event into one of Beijing’s signature annual traditions.

What made the CFFC decide to host a ball for the first time?
To be honest, I have been to a lot of balls over the years, some good, some bad. So, I figured, let's try to bring the community together again with a new ball in spring 2026, one that's affordable and even has champagne and caviar! I told MJ, the chairman of CFFC, if we are going to do a ball, we are going to do it right! And what I meant by that was ONE bottle of ICE-COLD champagne per person at your seat after the champagne and caviar reception. And for RMB 888 a person, I think that's a steal! 

Why was the Ancient Silk Road theme picked for the ball?
The ancient Silk Road was all about connecting people together. Food, culture, ideas. CFFC shares the same values of bringing people together. Therefore, I thought, let's celebrate coming together and building bridges. It's not just about one country, like most other balls are. It's about the countries and food that shaped who we are today.

The ball will be supporting the CCFC 2026 charities along with Autism Rehabilitation Centres for Children. Why did you choose this charity to support?
CFFC has always been about good food and good causes.  This year, we decided for this ball let's team up with Knot of Warmth (a student-led) charity initiative that has been supporting Cherish Autism Rehabilitation Centre in Tongzhou for the past two years with a silent auction. 

Beijing has been my home for 15 years, so for me, we needed to support it through at least one of the charities (that's where the Knot of Warmth project came in). You will find out about the CFFC charity recipients on June 6 when we announce them, but we have some other strong local contenders in and around Beijing. As always, we must support our local community! 

Aside from attending the ball, are there any other ways people can get involved?
Yes, if you can't make the ball, you can still participate in the silent auction. Knot of Warmth will be running an online silent auction. It should be live from May 20 and will commence on June 6 at 9pm. From what I heard, they have close to RMB 50,000 in silent auction prizes. Which is amazing! All the money raised in the silent auction will be used to purchase rice, flour, and oil for the autistic children at Cherish in Tongzhou. 

Lastly, is the CFFC Ball intended to be a one-time occasion, or do you hope it will become an annual tradition?
I would love to see this turn into one of those iconic Beijing balls. CFFC has been around for 18 years; hopefully, this Ancient Silk Road ball only grows bigger and bigger. My ultimate goal is that we can get some of the countries on the ancient Silk Road to participate in the future with cultural shows and performances. Because at the end of the day, it's about bringing people together! 

With champagne flowing, Silk Road-inspired flavors on the menu and a charitable mission at its core, the CFFC Ancient Silk Road Ball is sure to be an evening you won't forget. Whether you come for the glamour, the community or the cause, it promises a celebration of culture, connection and giving back.

The CFFC Black Tie Ancient Silk Road Ball will be taking place at Hamarkand Silk Road Restaurant on Sat, Jun 6 from 6.30pm until late. Tickets for a ten-person table are RMB 8,888 and single tickets are RMB 988/per person. You can book tickets by scanning the QR code in the poster above. For further details about the ball and the itinerary you can click here.  

Hamarkand Silk Road Halal & Exotic Theme Restaurant 哈马尔罕·丝路美食清真·异国风情主题餐厅
1/F, Zhongfu Bldg South Gate, Gongti Dong Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体东路18号中复大厦南门一层

READ: Beijing Cocktail Week, Tap Takeovers, Wine Parties & More Upcoming Boozy Events

Images: courtesy of the CFFC