On the morning of May 1st, the launch ceremony for the 2026 Shandong New Tai City Sports Consumption Season's "Lutou Tianyue Cup" Around Qingyun Lake Fun Run and Walking Carnival was held at Binhu Square. This grand event, integrating technological interaction, sports competition, and cultural tourism consumption, attracted over 3,000 sports enthusiasts from within and outside the province, marking a vibrant start to the city's year-round sports consumption season.
As a classic event held for 12 consecutive years, the Around Qingyun Lake Fun Run has become a shining name card for New Tai City. This year, the event innovatively incorporated "sports + technology" elements, giving this long-standing gathering a fresh appeal. At 7:30 AM, the opening ceremony commenced as scheduled, featuring a stunning appearance by intelligent robots that had participated in the 2026 Beijing Yizhuang Humanoid Robot Half Marathon. Their impressive dance moves and sharp martial arts techniques instantly energized the crowd. "I never expected to see such cool robot performances right in my hometown. This trip was definitely worth it!" said Mr. Wang, a citizen who brought his child to watch the event.
On the course, with a clear starting signal, participants in the fun run competitive group dashed off energetically, while the walking groups set off in orderly batches. Simultaneously, humanoid robots served as "special pace leaders," guiding the fun run participants. Along the route, they frequently waved, greeted, and took photos with walkers, becoming a standout "mobile scenic spot" on the track.
Comprehensive support services were provided throughout the event. Multiple supply stations and medical aid points were set up along the Qingyun Lake course and surrounding areas, stocked with ample drinking water, energy snacks, and other essentials. Medical staff and volunteers were on standby to ensure the safety of all participants. "My main job is as a firefighter. I train in my spare time, and running marathons is my hobby. New Tai has excellent greenery, with half the route being mountain roads and half lakeside paths. I really enjoy it; the scenery is very beautiful," said Gao Weijie, the winner of the men's fun run group.
Beyond the competition, the consumer exhibition area and supporting activities were equally vibrant. Continuing the multi-faceted "sports + culture + tourism + consumption" model from previous years, this year's event not only featured themed exhibition zones covering specialty agricultural products, intangible cultural heritage projects, and lifestyle services but also introduced interactive robot check-in activities. In the exhibition area, inheritors of intangible cultural heritage demonstrated traditional skills like paper-cutting, clay sculpture, and embroidery on site, attracting visitors who stopped to experience and interact with the artisans, immersing themselves in a cultural atmosphere described as "a scene at every step, heritage along the way." The humanoid robots moved nimbly through the crowd, sometimes engaging in playful interactions with vendors, other times proactively posing for photos with citizens and tourists, allowing everyone to enjoy the excitement of sports while experiencing the pleasures of consumption immersively.
This grand event, where "sports set the stage and consumption takes the spotlight," not only enriched the holiday lives of citizens and tourists but also effectively supported rural revitalization and local industrial development. Using the event as a bridge, the activity created a multi-integrated platform combining sports, technology, culture, tourism, and consumption. It provided a high-quality sports feast for citizens and visitors while also stimulating urban consumption potential through the event's draw, injecting strong momentum into the high-quality economic and social development of the city.
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