The promotional event for the 2026 Beijing Ice and Snow Consumption Season and the launch ceremony for the 13th Happy Ice and Snow Season for Beijing Citizens series were recently held at the National Speed Skating Oval, known as the "Ice Ribbon". This year's events will run until April 2027, offering residents and visitors a wider range of winter sports and leisure experiences and products by bringing together Winter Olympic venues, international competitions, winter tourism and commercial resources.

During the season, Beijing plans to host 90 winter sports competitions and events at various levels. This month, the ISU Speed Skating World Cup (Beijing) will kick off the season's competitions at the National Speed Skating Oval. In December, the FIS Snowboard and Freestyle Ski Big Air World Cup and the ISU Short Track World Tour (Beijing) will be held at Big Air Shougang and the Capital Indoor Stadium, respectively. From December 14 to 20, the FIL Luge World Cup will take place at the National Sliding Center, known as "Flying Snow Dragon". The IBSF Skeleton Asian Cup will follow at the same venue in January 2027. At the end of February, the ISU Speed Skating World Championships will be held in Beijing.

Beyond the competitions and events, Beijing has launched 17 winter tourism routes under five themes. The routes link Winter Olympic venues, ice and snow parks, shopping districts and distinctive scenic attractions, offering a variety of winter travel options.

Among them, the "Skating in the Imperial City, Exploring the Ancient Capital" (皇城冰嬉·古都漫步) route features four popular ice-skating destinations: the 160,000-square-meter rink at Shichahai, Lotus Lake at Beihai Park, Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace, and Fuhai Lake at the Yuanmingyuan Park. The "City Snow Fun and Family Adventures" (都市戏雪·亲子欢聚) route highlights the 50,000-square-meter snow and ice area in Olympic Forest Park, the "Ice Ribbon", the Xiuchi ice rink at Shougang Park and the "three-in-one" ice rink at Central Green Forest Park. The "Hot Springs in Valleys & Relaxing Getaways" (山谷沐汤·小镇慢居) route features Tanko in Mentougou District, Beijing Huaibei International Ski Resort and hot spring guesthouses. The "Hit the Slopes and Level Up Your Skills" (雪场逐风·一路晋级) route features ski resorts such as Yunju Ski Resort, Star Mountain Ski Resort, Jundushan Ski Resort and Beijing Yuyang International Ski Resort. The "Ice Lantern Nights and Festive Old Towns" (冰灯夜游·古镇年味) route highlights the 700-meter ice lantern corridor at Longqing Gorge, Nan Shan Resort and the Thousand Lantern Fair of the Great Wall Ice and Snow Festival at Beijing WTown. Visitors can find all 17 routes in the "Beijing Fitness Map" (北京健身地图) mini-program. 

In addition to offering more ways to enjoy winter activities, the season will include a range of measures to benefit the public. Organizers plan to issue about 20,000 vouchers during the season. Users can answer quiz questions in the "Beijing Jianshenhui" (北京健身汇) WeChat mini-program to earn points, which can be used to redeem for vouchers.

(Source: Beijing Daily Sports)