The mountainous region of Bipenggou in Sichuan province transformed into a winter sports paradise as the 8th National Fitness Ice and Snow Season commenced on January 6, 2026. Located in Lixian county within the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, the high-altitude ice and snow park hosted the prestigious opening ceremony that attracted both distinguished guests and winter sports enthusiasts.
The festival opening featured an impressive array of winter activities, with participants enjoying snowboarding adventures, exhilarating snow tubing sessions, high-speed snowmobiling, and unique snow tank experiences. The event simultaneously hosted a competitive cross-country skiing race that drew athletes and skiing devotees from across Sichuan and the neighboring Chongqing municipality.
Organizers emphasized this year’s strategic focus on creating synergistic connections between winter athletics and broader cultural tourism initiatives. The festival represents a deliberate effort to stimulate sports tourism consumption while promoting healthy outdoor lifestyles among China’s diverse ethnic communities. The Bipenggou venue, with its pristine alpine environment and modern facilities, provides an ideal setting for advancing winter sports accessibility throughout southwestern China.
This annual celebration marks a significant development in China’s ongoing mission to cultivate winter sports culture beyond the northeastern regions, particularly following the successful 2022 Winter Olympics. The event demonstrates how mountainous areas like Sichuan can leverage their natural topography to create sustainable winter tourism economies while encouraging national fitness initiatives among all demographic groups.