Home>Exploring Harbin
31st Int'l Ice and Snow Festival kicks off
Updated : 2015-01-05
By ( chinadaily.com.cn )
The 31st Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival kicked off at the capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, on Jan 5, 2015. [Photo/my399.com]
The 31st Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival kicked off at Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, on Jan 5. It will last to the end of February when the ice starts to melt.
Themed "Fascinating Ice-Snow Harbin, Charming Chinese Dream", a variety of activities about ice and snow, regarding tourism, culture, fashion, economy, trade and sports, will welcome tourists from around the world during the event.
Originated from the Ice Lantern Show in 1985, the Harbin Ice Festival has become one of the world's four largest ice and snow festivals, along with the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, the Quebec Winter Carnival in Canada and Norway's Ski Festival. The annual Ice and Snow Festival is a major event of the "Ice City" Harbin to welcome tourists from around the world in winter.
The Ice Festival is not only an exposition of ice and snow art, but also an annual cultural event for international exchange.
The event has attracted many ice sculpture experts, artists and fans from countries including the US, Canada, Russia and China to gather in the city to compete in ice sculpting competitions and to communicate with each other in the ice and snow world.
Meanwhile, ice sculptors from Harbin worked outside China to create wonderful ice art works in cities in Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and Oceania.
People can have fun in the main venues such as the Sun Island Scenic Area, Ice and Snow World, Zhaolin Park and Central Street, as well as the tourist attractions of the city including St Sophia Church, Harbin Polarland and the Songhua River.
A timetable of the major events during the festival:
Event |
Date |
Venue |
27th International Snow Sculpture Art Expo |
Dec 23,2014-Feb,2015 |
Sun Island |
41st Harbin Ice Lantern Art Fair |
Dec 26, 2014-Feb, 2015 |
Zhaolin Park |
16th Harbin Ice and Snow World |
Jan 5, 2015-Feb,2015 |
West end of Sun Island |
Fourth International Ice-Assemblage Sculpture Championship |
Dec 29, 2014-Jan 3, 2015 |
West end of Sun Island |
31st Group Wedding Ceremony on Ice Festival |
Jan 6, 2015 |
Zhaolin Park |
31st Harbin Cold Zone Exposition |
Jan 5-8, 2015 |
International Convention and Exhibition Center |
International Winter Swimming Invitational Competition |
Jan 5-6, 2015 |
Songhua River |
International Ice Sculpture Competition |
Jan 6-8, 2015 |
Zhaolin Park |
Harbin regains ‘National Civilized City’ title
Harbin regained the honorary title of "National Civilized City" on Aug 21.
-
Harbin economic zone supports industrial chain development
Harbin Economic and Development Zone recently issued measures for the innovative development of the industrial chain.
-
Harbin Pilot FTZ moves to improve licensing rules
The Harbin area of China (Heilongjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone recently moved to streamline its small business licensing regulations to help stimulate the zone’s economy.
-
Heilongjiang to develop into world-class winter tourist hot spot
Heilongjiang province will leverage all its formidable array of natural advantages to develop its popular winter tourism.