The inaugural Changning Citizens Sports Festival began on Sunday at Hongqiao Sports Park.

It features free access to sports facilities and public walks along the newly unveiled Outer Ring Road Greenbelt.

Eight sports events were held at both the park's outdoor and underground facilities on Sunday to mark the opening of the festival, which aims to help create a "15-minute community sports life circle" in the city's downtown.

They included a 100-team walking event exploring Changning's landmark greenbelt, a fitness exercise performance with 300 elderly participants, a family-focused sports carnival and a smart cycling race showcasing smart community exercise facilities.

Changning has unveiled a 6.25-kilometer greenbelt along the Outer Ring Road. Part of the greenbelt is under the flight paths of Hongqiao International Airport. Visitors on the greenbelt can spot a variety of airplanes overhead against the backdrops of the natural surroundings.

Indoor venues hosted popular sports like basketball, badminton, kendo and squash. A charity market featured agricultural products from China's southwest Yunnan Province.

The festival is the district's largest and most comprehensive public fitness event. It includes various basketball, badminton and eSports competition among the city's young professionals of the aviation, advertisement, fashion, internet, finance and human resources sectors.

Additionally, 30 sports venues, including swimming pools and tennis courts, offer free access to 50,000 residents. The other 44 fitness events and community sports services like dance and skateboarding classes are also open free to the residents.

The festival aims to integrate sports more deeply into residents' lives and promote the district's high-quality development, according to the district government.