Harbin International Ice and Snow Festivall

Location: Harbin City, Provincial Capital of Heilongjiang

Transportation: Bus or Taxi from Harbin

Summary: Ice and Snow are the specialty of northern provinces. The festival, started since 1985, was intended to promote the image of harbin city and the city's tourist industry. If you are not afraid of cold weather, this is quite a nice city to visit during this festival.

Description:

Harbin, the capital city of China's northernmost province, Heilongjiang, is known as a Paradise of Ice and Snow and is famous for its dazzling outdoor winter artwork. The art of ice-and-snow sculpture made its debut in Harbin thirty years ago, thanks to the intelligence of artists and their efforts to add color to the lives of the local residents by taking advantage of the northern winter weather. Harbin in winter will become a delighted paradise of ice and snow culture. Tourists both at home and abroad are welcome to the Ice and Snow Cultural Paradise. You are expected to paint dense colors here.

To enhance the city's image and boost its tourism industry, since 1985 the city has hosted the grand Harbin Ice and Snow Festival every year from January to February. The festival is now one of the most popular local festivals in China, as well as one of the largest ice and snow spectaculars in the world, making Harbin a favorite destination for numerous tourists from home and abroad to spend their winter holidays. There's all sorts of things for them to do during the festival: skating, skiing, tobogganing, ice sailing, ice hockey, or simply enjoying the winter scenery.

But a highlight of the festival is the ice lantern and sculpture exhibitions, which provide visitors a good opportunity to appreciate a galaxy of unique ice and snow art. Thousands of exquisitely-made ice lanterns, ice carvings and snow sculptures grace the snow-covered parks, public squares and major streets, turning the city into a dreamlike world of pure whiteness and gleaming crystal. These ice and snow art works come in all shapes and sizes. They can be as small as a mouse or as big as a bus. The designs range from life-size human figures, animals and flowers to towering castles, delicate pagodas and many other ingenious creations. Some of the most impressive are the intricately detailed replicas of famous buildings, such as the Potala Palace and the Eiffel Tower. And we mustn't forget the Great Wall!

The Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival has not only become an integral part of the winter life of the people of Harbin, but has also played an active role in introducing Harbin to the rest of the country and the world, speeding up the city's opening to the outside world, and promoting the city's trade and economic cooperation with foreign countries. In addition to the famous local and international ice lantern and snow sculpture exhibitions and contests, winter swimming, ice hockey and alpine and cross-country skiing contests are held. A film festival, and painting, calligraphy and photo exhibitions are held. Moreover, there are performances of folk songs and dances and wedding ceremonies performaed on ice. Trade fairs are also organized.   Admission Fee: Sun Island Park Harbin Ice and Snow World Zhaolin Park CNY 30 for adults CNY 15 for kids (extra CNY 100 for the Snow Sculpture Art Exposition) CNY 150 for adults CNY 75 for kids CNY 30 at the time of the Ice Lantern Exhibition CNY 10 at usual time Opening Hours: 8:00-17:00 9:00-22:00 5:00-18:30 Bus Route: 85 54, 88, 118 8, 53, 74, 83, 113, 114,  206 The 26th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival will be opened on Jan.5 in 2010. The major activities held during the festival are shown as the follows. Type Activity Time Place Ice and Snow Artistic Activities   The Opening Ceremony of the 22nd Sun Island Snow Sculpture Art Exposition Dec.18, 2009 The Sun Island Scenic Area The 36th Ice Lantern Garden Party and the opening ceremony of 2010 Disney Ice and Snow Garden Party Dec.20, 2009 Zhaolin Park The 15th International Snow Sculpture Competition; The 16th National Snow Sculpture Competition During the Ice and Snow Festival The Sun Island Scenic Area The 24th International Ice Sculpture Competition During the Ice and Snow Festival Zhaolin Park Ice and Snow Culture Activities The First China Ice and Snow Wedding Ceremony Festival and The 26th Ice and Snow Festival Group Wedding Ceremony on the Ice Jan.17 – Jan.21, 2010 The Sun Island Scenic Area The Third International Youth Shows Invitational Tournament Feb.17-Feb.21, 2010 Harbin Youth Palace Ice and Snow Festival Symbol and Mascot Solicitation Early December, 2009 The 22nd Hundred-Flower Dance Contest of senior people Jan.5, 2010 Harbin People’s Gymnasium Ice and Snow Sports Activities Harbin International Boxing Invitational Tournament Early January, 2010 Harbin Railway Administration Gymnasium The Fourth Harbin Ice and Snow Field Autocross Late January, 2010 Harbin Songhua River Motor Racing Theme Park Winter Fishing Festival January, 2010 Taiping Lake Harbin International Physical Dance Invitational Tournament Mid-January, 2010 Heilongjiang University Gymnasium The Third Harbin International Amateur Badminton Invitational Tournament Mid-January, 2010 Harbin University of Commerce Gymnasium Ice and Snow Economic and Trade Activities The 26th Ice and Snow Economic and Trade Negotiation Conference Jan.5-Jan.8, 2010 Harbin International Convention and Exhibition Centre China Entrepreneur Forum Annul Meeting Mid February, 2010 Yabuli International Ski Resort Harbin International Ice and Snow Appointment Jan.4-Jan.7, 2010 Harbin International Convention and Exhibition Centre China Winter Sporting Goods Fair and Ice-and-Snow Tourism and Trade Exposition Dec.4, 2009 Harbin International Convention and Exhibition Centre Ice and Snow Tourism Activities The Opening Ceremony of the 11th Heilongjiang International Skiing Festival, Early Winter Warm-up Skiing Month, Midwinter Enthusiastic Skiing Month, the Spring Festival Golden Skiing Month, and Spring Energetic Skiing Month November, 2009-March, 2010 The Skiing Resorts in the entire Heilongjiang Province "Ice and Snow Entering Community” and “People Traveling Ice City” During the Ice and Snow Festival Harbin City Proper International Friendship Cities Tourism Cooperation Forum Jan.6, 2010 Harbin International Conference Exhibition and Sports Center Eight classic tour routes are recommended including ice-and-snow amorous feelings from Europe Continent tour, circumjacent skiing tour, folk custom tour and the venues of the World Winter University Games tour. During the Ice and Snow Festival Harbin City Proper "Ice City Night Travel” tour routes During the Ice and Snow Festival Harbin Development District, Nangang District, Daoli District and Songbei District Harbin Ice Base Experience Tour During the Ice and Snow Festival Harbin Sports Training Base for Ice The First Harbin Ice and Snow Carnival During the Ice and Snow Festival Beidahuang Modern Agricultural Garden     Related Link:   Harbin Traffic   Harbin Airport   One day Skiing Tour