A tourism-related cultural activity, “Summer Fun in Harbin”, has opened at Sun Island, in the city of Harbin, Heilongjiang province, as of June 13, with Mayor of Harbin, Song Xibin, and a guest representative, Ke Haifan, addressing the opening ceremony, which was attended by representatives of tourist agencies, power companies, airline companies, and the media and ordinary folk.

"Summer Fun in Harbin”, opens at Sun Island, in the city of Harbin on June 13. [Photo / e.my399.com]

The ceremony started at 9:30 in the morning, with the Songhua River as a backdrop, the island’s square as the stage, and the sun for lighting for the large audience, who were also treated to a program with a “Hometown beauty and love” theme and with Harbin musicians, including Li Shuangjiang, performing and 2,400 dancers for a “Dancing Songhua River” show.

The ceremony starts with the Songhua River as a backdrop. [Photo / e.my399.com]

Some members of the audience pointed out that the Harbin government and Party committee have been paying more attention to the tourism business and have a new idea of combining tourism with culture and fashion. Harbin is already famous as an ice and snow tourist destination in winter, and the new "Summer Fun in Harbin" brand is meant to cover the warm months. In winter it is truly a “City of Ice” with a global reputation, but last year it became a major summer resort for the mainland, and a cool, romantic summer city.

A large crowd of performers on the Sun Island’s square. [Photo / e.my399.com]

Over the next four months, it will hold “The 5th China Harbin Songhua River Wetland Festival”, “2015 China Harbin International Beer Festival”, and “4th China Harbin WuHua Mountain Autumn festival” to give tourists from China and abroad a lovely scenic summer life.