Beijing launches Great Wall culture season to spur spending

A new winter-long event, the Great Wall Folk Culture Season, launched Saturday in Beijing's Yanqing district, offering visitors a one-stop shop for local products, cultural heritage, and winter activities.

The event, which includes the Jingzhuang Ice-Snow Carnival, kicked off in Liugou village, Jingzhuang town. The opening day featured intangible cultural heritage performances, such as land boat dances, alongside hands-on workshops where visitors could try traditional roof tile rubbing.

Liugou village's outlet-style pedestrian street has been transformed into a market, featuring specialty products including Yaowan's selenium-rich produce and the red-fleshed sweet potatoes of Jianganling. Cultural and creative products, such as silk embroidery works, were also on display.

A separate food market offered local delicacies, including smoked pork as well as tofu cooked over charcoal braziers — both recognized as intangible cultural heritage. Local officials from the townships of Sihai and Dazhuangke also joined livestreams to introduce their regional flavors.

The culture season will run throughout the winter, with ice and snow activities like snowmobiling and ice dragon boat racing scheduled to open in phases.

Across the five participating towns, visitors can take part in heritage workshops, enjoy the natural scenery of Badaling, and experience winter activities. They can also obtain discounts on agricultural tourism activities, consumption vouchers, and visitor gift packs, designed to offer a one-stop experience for dining, lodging, transportation, shopping, and entertainment.