The annual winter Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in China started again on January 5 and will last at least one month, depending of weather evolution. Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang Province, is located in Northeast China and receives cold winter wind from Siberia. The 33rd session is held from January 4, 2017 to March 2017.
While ice sculptures are erected throughout the Harbin city, During the festival, there are ice lantern park touring activities held in many parks in the city. This year, the theme is «Bright Pearl of the Crown of Ice and Snow.” The festival includeS Yabuli alpine skiing, winter-swimming in the Songhua River and the ice-lantern exhibition in Zhaolin Garden. It has a traditional program that shows the most excellent ice lanterns. With water, lights and the natural ice from the Songhua River running through this city as the material, the ice lanterns are made by freezing water, piling up ice or snow, then carving, enchasing and decorating. Other large ice and snow festivals include Japan’s Sapporo Snow Festival, Canada’s Quebec City Winter Carnival, and Norway’s Holmenkollen Ski Festival.
