Rumble in the Jumble Celebrates 10 Years This Saturday

Rumble in the Jumble is celebrating ten years in the capital, and to mark the occasion, they're throwing a special Rumble Renaissance event at Catherine de France this Saturday (Sep 13). 

In Beijing, sustaining anything for ten years is no mean feat and we here at the Beijinger are always delighted to see an organization like Rumble in the Jumble succeed. In the past decade, their events have grown from quirky jumble sales in tiny hutong bars to regular large-scale bazaars that have helped launch some of Beijing's most beloved independent brands.

From special charity events like Ruff & Rumble to a Tattoo Festival, Rumble in the Jumble's bazzardays bring together a truly diverse array of vendors and have become a key part of the Beijing community. It hasn't always been an easy ride though, with Covid cancellations, the departure of key Rumble organizer Charlotte White and other bumps along the way. However, throughout it all, Rumble has flourished and ten years in this hectic city really are cause for celebration. 

Ahead of Saturday's event, we spoke to Fran Hanshing, who took over the reins from White after her departure. 

When and why did you first get involved with Rumble in the Jumble?
My first experience at Rumble was in 2016, when my brand, Velveteen's Secret Potions, had already been around for two years, and I was constantly seeking exciting venues to showcase my potions. I met Antoine, who was then collaborating with Hot Cat Club in Fangjia Hutong. He informed me about a pop-up market they were hosting and introduced me to one of the organizers, Helen. I reached out to her and applied, and since then, I haven't missed a single Rumble event.

I vividly recall each market at Hot Cat Club being incredibly cozy and somewhat underground. While it primarily focused on second-hand items, a few crafters were drawn to the alternative audience it attracted. That unique aspect captivated me. Rumble always exuded heart and passion. It wasn't pretentious, yet it held a significant purpose: a community forged on genuine connections. It felt like a big family.

How does it feel to be celebrating ten years of Rumble in the Jumble?
Enduring hasn't always been easy. Because I've been with Rumble since its beginnings, I've been in many venues, and I've seen many emerging brands rise to glory and others last shorter than a shooting star, so it feels like Rumble is always there not only to help you launch your idea, but also to provide a stable platform for testing and connecting with new potential customers. Conscious consumers are willing to listen to our stories, but also they have certain expectations, so we are constantly adapting to the audience … rekindling… We are the outcome; when creativity is fueled, it brings passion.

What does Rumble mean to you?
When Charlotte (one of the founders of Rumble) mentioned she was moving back to her home country, some of the regular vendors of the event panicked! “Who's going to keep organizing the event?!” Personally, I always found that Charlotte´s work organizing Rumble was precious because there's a lot of time involved in organizing one event, and she used to do it every month! When she left, I took over Rumble in 2021 with the help of other regular vendors and collectively started to manage pop-ups. That's when I really understood her contribution to keep a platform alive, just to make other brands shine! 

These days, I can't organize markets every month, but every event we organize with the Rumble Team has something special to show. For example, at our upcoming Rumble Renaissance on Sep 13, we will have our first fashion show!

What have been some of your favourite past Rumble events?
Since I've been leading Rumble's events, the one that really put all our capacities on the table was Rumble EXOTIKO. This event was a “street market” hosted at Longfusi (in Dongcheng). It was a two-day market during Golden Week 2023. It had everything! Exotic food, exotic crafts, exotic performances. It was the biggest in terms of attendees, but also the most tiring Rumble event I've ever organized! It was wonderful to be able to turn that space into a magical hub of creativity and friendship.

Our upcoming event has all the elements too: new brands, a fashion show, goodie bags, special deals … and of course, what we love the most – collaborations. So, this time we teamed up with Catherine de France, who is re-opening their just-refreshed hair salon, to host a bazzarday with a spotlight for everybody!

As mentioned by Hanshing, Saturday's event will include some other exciting highlights as well as the classic Rumble bazzarday. There will be a “Transformation Fashion Statement” runway show, where models mix treasures from local vendors with bold new twists. 

Rumble's partner brand, Hanging Sense, will also be launching a clothes swap and upcycling project, inviting guests to donate gently-loved garments and support sustainable fashion. If you're interested in donating or want to know more, you can contact Hanging Sense's Wechat account: HangingSense. 

That's not all, though. There will also be music courtesy of DJ Arquitect and LTN, a live opera performance from Song Xin Carmen and lastly, goodie bags packed with treats from Rumble's sponsors for the first 50 guests. So, get yourself down to Catherine de France on Saturday and celebrate ten years of Rumble in the Jumble fun!

Rumble Renaissance will be taking place at Catherine de France, on Sat, Sep 13, from 1pm to 7pm. Entry is free and the event is completely pet-freindly. You can read more about the event here. 

Catherine de France
1/F, East Avenue Bldg, 10 Xindong Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新东路10号逸盛阁底商

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Images: courtesy of Rumble in the Jumble