Co-hosted by the Beijing Olympic City Development Association (BODA), the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports and other departments, the 15th Beijing Olympic City Sports Culture Festival and the 5th “8·8” Beijing Sports Shopping Carnival opened at the celebration plaza of the Beijing Olympic Park Central Area on the evening of 8 August 2024. Sima Hong, Vice Mayor of Beijing and Chairperson of BODA, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. Angelita Teo, Director of the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage, Chair of the Olympic Museums Network and Director of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne sent a congratulatory message.

（Guests inaugurate the festival and the carnival）

On behalf of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and BODA, Sima Hong expressed sincere gratitude to all friends for their consistent concern and support for the Olympic legacy and the development of sports in Beijing. As she pointed out, the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee that concluded last month mapped out a plan for comprehensively deepening reform, charting the direction for the Chinese modernization. Beijing will gain a good understanding of the guiding principles from the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and act on them to develop a high-standard public fitness service system, enhance its overall strength in competitive sports, improve services for the sports industry, build premium sports and cultural service brands with a human touch and do its utmost to provide high-quality sports and cultural services and products for the people. The Beijing Olympic City Sports Culture Festival and the “8·8” Beijing Sports Shopping Carnival are a flagship Olympic legacy brand and sports shopping brand in Beijing. This year, the “Two Festivals” will last a long time and feature diverse activities and forms across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. She called on the people to participate in the events and work together to make them a high-standard, distinctive, and fantastic fest for all.

（Sima Hong gives a speech）

In her message Angelita Teo extended congratulations on the opening of the 15th Beijing Olympic City Sports Culture Festival. She said that the festival has engaged more people in sports, promoted the Olympic culture and spirit and set an example in building a better life through sport. She also called for greater efforts to accomplish even more for the Olympic Movement.

（Congratulatory message from Angelita Teo）

The “Olympic Sports and Culture Caravan” made its debut at the opening ceremony. This creative form of presentation brings the colourful sporting events and cultural activities closer to the people and epitomises the sustained benefits the Olympic Games have brought to people in the 16 districts of Beijing, showcasing the unique charm and development vitality of Beijing.

（At the opening ceremony）

A series of major sporting events scheduled for the second half of the year in Beijing were announced at the opening ceremony. They include the China Open, the WTT China Smash, the 2024–2025 ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing, the 2024–2025 ISU World Short Track Championships Beijing, the Teqball World Series Beijing, the Hood to Coast China, the Sunshine Youth Challenge and the Great Wall 330 X-BIONIC.

（Major sporting events and activities scheduled for the second half of the year are announced）

The 15th Beijing Olympic City Development Association and the 5th Beijing Sports Shopping Carnival are co-hosted by BODA, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports, the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the Changping District People’s Government, the Chaoyang District People's Government and Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Co., Ltd., with the aim of utilising the Olympic legacy to empower sports, cultural and tourism industries and support the building of Beijing into an international centre for sports consumption. They are important measures to implement the plans of the CPC Municipal Committee and the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and to strengthen the brand of the “12 Amazing Months in Beijing” pro-consumption campaign.

（At the opening ceremony）

（The “Olympic Sports and Culture Caravan” ）

Co-hosted by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports, the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the four-day offline carnival of the 5th “8·8” Beijing Sports Shopping Carnival feature not only the 3x3 basketball, breaking, parkour, roller skating, cross-country roller skating, esports cycling, model car racing and model flying but also ice and snow sports including biathlon. The sports marketplace during the carnival features multiple fairs dedicated to camping, art toys, technology and food, offering visitors one-stop sports shopping experiences. Limited-edition Paris 2024 commemorative gold merchandise authorised by the IOC will also be available.

（Offline carnival of the “8·8” Beijing Sports Shopping Carnival）

(Offline carnival of the “8·8” Beijing Sports Shopping Carnival)

Co-hosted by the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports, BODA and the Chaoyang District People’s Government, the “2024 Global Premiere Festival” Olympic Charm Special Event, themed “Global Premiere – Fun in the Olympic Park”, will feature five sections dedicated to popular sports, pop-up stores, intangible heritage handcrafts, interactive sign-in and cuisine at the Celebration Plaza of the Beijing Olympic Park Central Area. A diverse range of activities will be held, including a small Hungarian cultural exhibition, intangible heritage handcrafts, jazz performances, island-style dancing, outdoor film screenings plus a food court. Visitors can get hands-on with outdoor sports like rock climbing, skateboarding and mountain biking. Additionally, over 20 Chinese and foreign brands will showcase their latest products and launches. These engaging and colourful activities are expected to stimulate sports and cultural consumption and energise the Olympic themed nighttime economy.

（Global Premiere Festival）

The First Bird’s Nest Shopping Festival is taking place on the South Plaza of the National Stadium, focusing on new consumer experiences, consumption scenarios and models. This event integrating culture, sports, entertainment and leisure into a single destination features large-scale concerts with popular artists such as Zhang Jie, Deng Ziqi, Hua Chenyu and Zhou Shen, major sporting events like the Equestrian Beijing Masters, digital cultural experiences enabled by virtual reality technology such as the Bird’s Nest AR tours and the “Night Banquet in Tang Dynasty” XR immersive exhibition, as well as the launch of the Zhonghua Bird’s Nest Baijiu. There will also be a public fitness carnival, activities aimed at fostering patriotism among young people and various sports activities, including football, tennis and track and field. The festival will run until late October.

（The Bird’s Nest Shopping Festival ）

BODA is hosting the “Olympic Splendor · Wonderful Summer” event at the South Plaza of the Dual Olympic Square, which will last till October. The event includes the “Olympic Journey Through Time – Exhibition on Olympic Summer Games”, the Olympic journey cultural site, surfing and tennis photo-taking and sign-in, display and experience zones for Teqball, skateboarding and hip-hop, Olympic look sign-in, badge exchange and performances of Olympic themed songs. These activities aim to promote the Olympic culture and encourage public engagement in sports.

（Visitors at the “Olympic Journey Through Time – Exhibition on Past Olympic Summer Games”）

(“Olympic Splendor · Wonderful Summer”)

（Song performance by Beijing Olympic Games Community Choir）

（Sign-in gift zone）

On the evening of the opening ceremony, the Chaoyang District Sports Bureau and the Beijing Olympic Park Central Area Management Committee hosted the “Cycling Along the Central Axis” event. Cyclists rode 5 km along scenic boulevard leading to the Beijing Olympic Park Central Area, Tianchen East Road and Hujing East Road, passing by iconic landmarks such as the National Stadium, the National Aquatics Centre, the National Indoor Stadium, the Beijing Olympic Tower, the China Science and Technology Museum and the Museum of the Communist Party of China. This cycling event came after the 16th National Fitness Day and the opening of the 5th “8·8” Beijing Sports Shopping Carnival. Approximately 400 cyclists participated in the event.

（“Cycling Along the Central Axis”）

In addition to the aforementioned activities at the main venue, the 15th Beijing Olympic City Sports Culture Festival will host a series of main activities and signature events. The main activities will kick off on 16 August in Changping District, including the opening ceremony, the Dual Olympic Camp, the Little Triathlete, the Dual Olympic campsite, the Run Girls and the Five-Ring Medal Challenge. These activities aim to create a comprehensive experience that combines competitive sports, leisure and entertainment, interactive experiences and lifestyle and shopping for the people. The signature events include Teqball World Series Beijing, the Beijing International Sports Film Week, youth Olympic education, dual Olympic culture promotion and the Joyful Road of the Winter Olympics. These colourful sporting events and Olympic culture activities are designed to promote public fitness throughout the city, showcasing the unique charm of the dual Olympic city.

Revolving around the themes of sports, shopping and fun, the 5th “8·8” Beijing Sports Shopping Carnival aims to spur sports consumption and promote the integrated development of commerce, culture, tourism and sports across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The 5th “8·8” Beijing Sports Shopping Carnival consists of five core sections, namely, online shipping, online contests, online booking, online learning and offline carnival. Based on the successive experience of its previous editions, this year’s Beijing Sports Shopping Carnival is up a notch, incorporating the elements of Paris 2024. During the carnival, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports will launch distinctive “Sports Plus” activities across the 16 districts of the city to enrich the people’s cultural lives.

It is also learned that the “12 Amazing Months in Beijing” monthly theme campaign organised by the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau with publicity, culture and tourism, sports and other government departments and various districts will unveil new nighttime consumption scenarios in August, including the “Night in Beijing” landmarks, popular attractions and life circles. The August edition themed “Month of Family · Summer in Beijing” will highlight Olympic culture promotion, sports, fitness, performances, tourism, cultural exhibitions, debuts and nighttime consumption and guide market players to set up distinctive night markets and offer night tours, cuisine and activities.

Shuo Yang, Yu Qingfeng, Fu Xiaohui, Zhang Qian and Li Yanling, vice chairpersons of BODA, attended the opening ceremony, along with high-ranking officials including Pu Xuedong, Chang Yu, Wen Xian and Wu Xiaojie. Also present at the opening ceremony included leaders of member units of the organising committee of Beijing Olympic City Sports Culture Festival, high-ranking officials of related districts, department directors of the former organising committees of Beijing 2008 and the Beijing 2022 Games, high-ranking officials of Zhangjiakou and representatives of embassies of relevant countries in China.