During the Olympic sailing competitions in Qingdao, athletes and tourists from home and abroad will enjoy local cultural activities and feel the ardent Olympic atmosphere.

Performances by Qingdao locals to welcome the coming Games. [China Daily]

"The Olympic competitions play an active role in promoting Qingdao's cultural development," Jiang Zhengxuan, director general of Qingdao Municipal Cultural Bureau (QMCB) told China Daily.

Jiang said a range of Olympic-themed artistic works have been produced including symphonies, songs, dances, dramas and movies.

Performances by Qingdao locals to welcome the coming Games. Ju Chuanjiang

"More than 20,000 Olympic cultural activities have been held in 20 city squares and parks since 2007. Most of the performers in these activities are Qingdao citizens," Jiang said.

"We have more than 200 elderly people who are all good at singing and dancing. We have staged choruses, short plays and instrumental music performances more than 20 times since the beginning of 2008," said Wang Nongcun, leader of Qingdao elderly art group.

Qingdao also places importance on international cultural exchanges.

"Our art groups have given performances in about 18 countries including France, Japan, Russia and the South Korea," Jiang said. "We also invited international counterparts to Qingdao to boost cultural exchanges."

More than 30 Olympic-themed exhibitions have been held in the city including photography, folk arts, calligraphy and painting.

On May 9 to 16, rural folk Yangko dancing troupes gathered in Qingdao to welcome the Olympics.