he annual Ice Festival is Harbin's

he annual Ice Festival is Harbin's main winter draw. The Harbin International Ice Festival only started about 10 years ago, and it is already one of world's four biggest such ice and snow festivals, along with the famous ones in Sapporo, Norway and Quebec. At first, mainly Chinese participated, but in the last few years, it has become an international festival and competition. As the festival grows in international participation and as China's economy grows, the size of the snow sculpture and ice architecture exhibits keeps growing. Now, the work going into making these exhibits is astounding, and their size and beauty is amazing. Last year, tens of thousands of people labored on the displays.

Walking around the three venues, you'll see world record-sized snow sculptures longer than two football fields, and some ice buildings, palaces, monuments, or statues about 50 meters tall (160 feet high) that you can walk and slide around in and on. These displays are technologically sophisticated, using computer controlled LED and regular lighting to put on stunning displays of changing color and design. For example, there was a replica of the Great Wall of China that people could slide on. Many of the architecture replicas have ice slides. Harbin is called “Ice City,” and the winters are bitterly cold, but the conditions are right for the ice festival.

The Date

The festival is officially held from January 5 to February 5. However, the exhibits may open earlier and stay longer. Ice sculptures of various shapes are displayed for the event.

When is the best time to go for the festival

Winter travel season begins from mid-November in Harbin. The best time to go for the ice festival is from mid-December when the exhibits first start forming to the end of February.

What are the highlights to see

harbin ice and snow festival
There are three places where travelers can see ice sculptures and lanterns and other winter activities: the Grand World of Ice and Snow for a great variety of snow activities, Sun Island Park where ice sculptures are displayed, and Zhaolin Park for the ice lanterns show.