With a busy work schedule and a fast-paced lifestyle, how long has it been since you took a break from the daily hustle? No time for the outdoors—what’s cool and fun to do in the bustling city center?
From May 20th to May 21st, the 2017 Banff Outdoor Carnival, jointly organized by Banff China and Esquire China, was held at the vibrant fashion landmark Sanlitun Taikoo Li in the capital, bringing an unconventional outdoor feast to the sweltering city.
Opening Ceremony: A stunning opening performance kicked off this year’s Banff Outdoor Carnival
The opening act featured a lineup of top domestic and international outdoor sports personalities. It began with extreme trampoline performances by Andrew and Nina combined with parkour by Wang Weiqiang’s Super Body Team, followed by a bike trials show by China’s top trials cyclist Zhang Jingkun. Then, iconic Chinese longboard riders Onion, DuoDuo, and Lu Yao delivered an electrifying longboard performance, instantly igniting the enthusiasm of the audience.
Surprise-filled Experience Zone: Try out performances by the pros and experience outdoor extremes in the urban jungle
This carnival featured a Mountain Zone and an Ocean Zone. From “the depths of the sea to the heights of the mountains,” there were exciting performances and workshops on rock climbing, longboarding, trampolining, trail running, bike trials, paddleboard yoga, and more, delivering countless visual feasts to the audience. After the surprises and cheers, visitors also got to try various extreme sports in the experience zone. There were also interactive activities such as the first National Kids’ Parkour Fitness Competition, fun couple rock climbing contests that drew screams of excitement, DJI VR skiing, 360-degree panoramic camera experiences, Trek indoor cycling trainer sessions, and “One Hour in the City” cycling experiences—injecting a shot of adrenaline into this urban forest of skyscrapers and traffic.
For this carnival, Banff China invited outdoor experts from various fields around the world to gather at the Banff Masterclass in the Red Hall at Sanlitun, delivering a series of professional and entertaining public talks for enthusiasts.
During the talks, Ines Papert, the athlete with 21 world ice climbing championships, shared the story of her and Luka Lindic successfully establishing a new mixed ice and rock route called “Lost in China” on the southeast face of Kyzyl Asker Peak (elevation 5,842m) in the Western Tien Shan on the border between Kyrgyzstan and China in 2016; Lloyd Belcher, director of the 2016 Banff Mountain Film Festival entry film “Mila,” which tells the story of a Nepalese girl who changed her fate through running, achieving world No. 2 in just one year and being regarded as the most promising female trail runner internationally, presented behind-the-scenes stories of the film; additionally, renowned Chinese alpine photographer Chen Yewei, well-known runners Hui Yu and Shan Hu shared their experiences in alpine photography and trail running. Furthermore, China’s first wingsuit pilot Xu Kai and wingsuit pilot Yang Cheng, cave diving master Wang Yuan, and DJI Media CEO Qiao Yan also delivered captivating stories. There was also an environmental story sharing by The Bulk House, whose speeches were accessible and insightful, leaving the audience feeling they had gained a lot.
In addition to the masterclass, there was also an engaging screening session in the Red Hall. “Wu Xiubo: Night Visit with Manta Rays,” produced by WildAid, tells the story of Wu Xiubo, the conservation ambassador, learning about the survival crisis of manta rays and calling on everyone to protect wildlife.
Travel expert Lao Ji premiered his “Antarctic Preschool,” recounting the legendary journey of him and his wife traveling to Antarctica with their 4-year-old son Xiao Xinba.
Meanwhile, the Banff Mountain Film Festival Highlights were screened at CINKER PICTURES Sanlitun Taikoo Li, tickets for which were in extremely high demand.
Banff China, in collaboration with the China Cetacean Conservation Alliance, introduced the large-scale laser projection interactive experience LightAnimal to China for the first time. Through this attempt, we hope to help people understand and protect wildlife without harming animals or the environment. Many parents specially brought their babies to experience this light-based interaction with giant marine creatures, where children had perfect interactions with whales and dolphins on-site.
LightAnimal – Kids Interacting with Whales
With the successful conclusion of the 2017 Banff Outdoor Carnival, Banff China’s “Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour China,” “International Ocean Film Festival,” “Sunshine Running Film Festival,” “Panshi Film Festival,” and “China Outdoor Film Project” will officially launch nationwide tours. The “Huangpu Class No. 1” of Chinese adventure films—the Adventure Film Masterclass—is also now open for enthusiastic applicants.
Thank you to all the friends who attended or supported us over the past two days, and gratitude to the many guests, entrepreneurs, and industry opinion leaders who delivered wonderful presentations at the carnival. We also hope to experience the excitement of extreme sports together again in future events.