The year 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of Beijing’s successful bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics and the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. From the 2008 Summer Olympics to the 2022 Winter Olympics, the Olympic Movement has left Beijing with a wealth of venues, events, and city memories and also become deeply embedded into public cultural spaces and everyday life. The 17th Beijing Olympic City Sports Culture Festival will open on August 8, blending the dual Olympic culture with sporting events, cultural exhibitions, youth education, and international city exchanges. By bringing Olympic culture into the everyday life of residents, it will create an immersive summer Olympic celebration for all.

Preview: Olympic Cities Summer Plaza

As the first key event of this year’s Festival, the Olympic Cities Summer Plaza will take place from August 7 to 10, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM, at and around the Beijing Olympic Museum. The plaza draws on the dual Olympic landmarks, including the giant snowflake-shaped cauldron from the 2022 Winter Olympics and the sculpture of the Olympic Rings, and serves as an area for Olympic themed cultural showcases, exchanges among Olympic cities, promotion of sports, and themed performances. Citizens are welcome to fully immerse themselves in the glamor and passion of the dual Olympic city.

The Olympic Cities Summer Plaza features five distinct themed zones packed with highlights:

• Dual Olympic Memory Corridor: The Milano Cortina 2026 torch makes its Beijing debut. There will be an interactive exhibition of posters from past Olympic Games, an Olympic city photo exhibition, a Winter Olympics themed awards experience, and Olympic light installations. The biggest highlight is the first appearance in Beijing of the Milano Cortina 2026 torch, which bridges Beijing and Milan across time and space with Winter Olympic culture and connects global Olympic memories.

• Olympic Market: Explore a world of flavors in one place. The market brings together 44 specialty booths from 16 Olympic host countries, with a dedicated Italian themed zone echoing the Milano Cortina 2026. It showcases each country’s signature cuisine, artisan crafts, cultural and creative products, and outdoor sports gear, allowing visitors to experience the charm of Olympic cities around the world without leaving Beijing.

• Olympic Interactive Zone: Capture dual Olympic moments at fun photo spots. Designed around the Olympic motto “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together,” the zone features multiple creative photo installations where visitors can take photos and experience the Olympic spirit up close.

• Olympic Vitality Arena: Get an early taste of new Olympic sports. Focusing on new sports for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics, it features a flag football experience zone where visitors can participate, interact, and feel the energy and joy of emerging sports firsthand.

• Olympic Cities Star Stage: Enjoy themed performances over four days. The plaza’s two stages will alternate with special performances. The main stage at the Beijing Olympic Museum’s sunken plaza and the stage in the Summer Plaza Market area will feature three themed days: Dual Olympic Music Day, Italian Culture Day, and Dual Olympic Film Day. From 7:50 PM on August 8, the Beijing National Traditional Orchestra’s “Sun Chubo and Her Friends” will perform on the main stage at the sunken plaza. From 7:00 PM on August 9, Suona virtuoso Zhai Mingfei will give a wonderful performance. On August 10, Dual Olympic Film Day, the creative teams behind the Beijing International Sports Film Week shortlists The Spirit of Shaolin and Chengdu Makes Dreams Come True will show up and share ideas .

Four pillars in synergy: a signature dual Olympic themed event

The Beijing Olympic City Sports Culture Festival was launched in 2010 by the Beijing Olympic City Development Association (BODA) with the approval of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, and has been recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a flagship Olympic legacy program. It is now listed among Beijing festivals and events and has become a prominent Olympic themed public fitness and sports culture event brand in Beijing.

The 17th edition in 2026, rooted in Beijing’s role as a dual Olympic city, aims to promote the deep integration of culture, commerce, sports, tourism, and exhibitions. Following the launch of the Summer Plaza activities, a variety of events will unfold successively, including the Festival’s opening ceremony and the four major program pillars, namely, mass sports and cultural events, youth Olympic education, promotion of international emerging sports, and the development of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Sports Culture and Tourism Belt.

This year’s edition builds a bridge for international exchanges among Olympic cities. This August, come and join us at the Olympic Cities Summer Plaza to immerse yourselves in the vibrant cosmopolitan vibes, and appreciate the splendor of the dual Olympic city while promoting Olympic culture together.