Harbin, Northeast China
Annually - Jan 09
Harbin Ice and Snow Festival
Spectacular ice and snow sculpture art fair, at 40 below zero - this is sure to take your breath away!
The (new) Harbin Ice Festival, established in 1985, is held annually from January 5 and lasts for over one month. Harbin is the capital city of Heilongjiang Province and this is China's original and greatest ice artwork festival, attracting hundreds of thousands of local people and visitors from all over the world.
Snow and ice sculpture in Harbin dates back to Manchu times, but the original show was held in 1963, and the annual festival itself only started in '85. Since then it has grown into a massive event and the sculptures have become increasingly elaborate and artistic, and now involve competing sculpting teams from around the world. Harbin's most impressive ice artworks can be viewed at three main locations - Sun Island Park (Taiyangdao Gongyuan), Zhaolin Park (Zhaolin Gongyuan) and Harbin Ice and Snow World. Wow!
Annually in January, it's a frozen fest of frosty fantasticness!
8 out of 10
