The Toronto Ice Fusion Spring Festival Gala has become a wonderful spectacle of sports and culture, fusing the elegance of figure skating with traditional Chinese arts.

The third annual gala was held on Feb 17 at Elgin Barrow Arena in Richmond Hill, bringing together local residents and overseas performers to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Han Jinwen, president of the Canada China Sports and Culture Exchange Center and organizer of the event, explained that the gala's mission is about more than entertainment.

"We want to integrate China's rich cultural heritage and the world of ice sports in a natural manner," she told China Daily.

This year's performance was on a larger scale, featuring Chinese professional artists and premiering a performance based on the White and Green Snake legend, in celebration of the Year of the Snake.

Han also noted the importance of the timing of the event, "This year, the Chinese New Year has been officially recognized by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

"This demonstrates that Chinese New Year is really popular, and we want to allow people to feel the actual sense of arrival of the new year — the Chinese concept of family and tradition," she said.

Luo Weidong, the consul general of China in Toronto, also attended the event and spoke of its significance in promoting cultural exchanges between China and Canada.

"Canada is a powerhouse of winter sports, and China and Canada have conducted close exchanges in this field," he said.

The 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province concluded on Friday and were hailed as a great success.

"The China-Canada relationship is rooted in the people, its promise is in the people, and its future is in the youth," Luo said.

He expressed hope that young athletes would become "ambassadors of China-Canada friendship" through cultural and sports exchanges.

The Ice Gala had five segments, each of which highlighted a unique element of Chinese heritage. The performances varied from dragon and lion dances to martial arts, all of which were brought onto the ice.

Canadian national figure skating champions Lulu Lin and Richard Qin skated mesmerizing routines, and synchronized skating teams and ice dancers added a dynamic element to the festivities.

The atmosphere reached its peak as performers dressed as the God of Fortune skated across the rink, tossing gifts to the audience.

Li Wei, 36, who was in the audience, said he was surprised by the performance and how it merged traditional Chinese elements with ice sports.

"I never dreamed of witnessing the dragon dance and legend of the White and Green Snake being performed on ice," he told China Daily. "It was fantastic and really presented the beauty of Chinese culture in a new and dynamic way.

"Seeing people from all walks of life celebrating Chinese New Year together made me feel very proud," he said of the diverse audience.

One of the highlights of the evening was the four-on-four hockey game exhibition match between teams of the North American Youth Ice Hockey Federation.

Among the players was Kevin He, the first Chinese-born player in the NHL, who was awarded a special recognition award for his contribution to the sport.

Han said she sees the gala as an opportunity to further promote more meaningful cultural exchanges. "Chinese culture is profound — it teaches people about harmony and love for all mankind.

"With tourism, sport, and cultural exchange, we hope to encourage more North American young people to get to know and appreciate Chinese culture," she said.

"We are not producing a show — we are constructing a bridge between cultures, and allowing people to be a part of something wonderful and meaningful," Han said.