The first ice and snow culture festival of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is held to welcome the Beijing Winter Olympics. [Photo/dayoo.com]

The first ice and snow culture festival of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was officially launched on Jan 4 in Guangzhou.

Until April, 12 activities will be held to aid in the development of ice and snow sports, build ice and snow cultural tourism brands, and promote ice and snow culture in South China.

The festival will carry out with focusing on competitive sports, sports culture, and sports communication, and is intended to build anticipation for the Winter Olympics, according to Xing Xiang, Party secretary of Huadu district.

A series of Winter Olympic-themed activities such as snowball fights, a Greater Bay Area Skiing Elite Challenge, and an event entitled "Olympic Stars talk about Olympics" will be held to stimulate enthusiasm for ice sports.

Activities will also highlight the characteristics of Guangzhou and Huadu. Fifteen leading figures from Guangzhou and Huadu, including Zhong Nanshan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Cao Xue, head of the Beijing Winter Olympics mascot design team, will share the ice and snow story of the Guangzhou people.

Guangzhou is a national leader in roller skating, and three Guangzhou athletes are expected to participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics.