The main motto of this festival is to create ice sculptures through decoration ranging from modern technology of using lasers to traditional forms using ice lanterns. Throughout the city, people find ice sculptures, but there are two main exhibition areas which are widely popular – Enormous snow sculptures at Sun Island which is a recreational area based opposite to Songhua River and the distinctive Ice and Snow World that is operational for each night. Ice and Snow World welcomes visitors to experience its illuminated full size buildings that are created from blocks of two to three feet thick crystal clear ice which are directly fetched from the Songhua River. Visitors take tours and enjoy different activities kept to make the festival more attractive. Tourists visit many parks in the city to enjoy the touring activities. Also famous are the winter activities which include winter-swimming in the Songhua River, Yabuli alpine skiing, and the ice-lantern exhibition held in Zhaolin Garden.