To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people's Anti-Japanese War and the World Anti- Fascist War, an international parade was held in Beijing in September 2015. In order to ensure satisfactory air quality during this event, a phased emission control measures were taken in Beijing and its surrounding provinces. The 24-h PM_(2.5) samples were collected in Beijing from August 1 to September 15, 2015 covering the period before, during and after this large-scale event. The observed PM_(2.5) data, meteorological data, emission reduction measures, and air mass trajectory simulation results were systematically analyzed to understand the pollution characteristics and chemical compositions of PM_(2.5) in Beijing. The results indicated that PM_(2.5) concentration during the two emission control phases was reduced by 61.7% comparing to the non-control period, but the regional transport of pollutants and meteorological conditions had a more prominent impact on PM_(2.5) than emission reduction during phase 2. The secondary water-soluble ions including SO_4 ^(2-), NO_3 ^-, and NH_4 ^+ were found as the main ions present in PM_(2.5). During the entire emission control period, organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) mass concentrations were decreased by 53.1% and 57.9%. A PM_(2.5) mass balance was analyzed, and it was found that the organic matter accounted for 29.3, 37.6 and 28.5% of the PM_(2.5) mass before, during and after the emission control, while the contribution of mobile sources to PM_(2.5) was relatively outstanding after a series of emission control measures.