An artist’s impression of a giant snow sculpture in Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Expo [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Plans and design programs for Harbin’s annual ice and snow events – Harbin Ice and Snow World and Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Expo – were revealed at a press conference organized by Sun Island Group on Nov 26.

Information from the conference shows that the joint theme of the 22nd Harbin Ice and Snow World and the 33rd Harbin Sun Island Snow Sculpture Expo is the "integration of ice and snow, go together with joy."

Cultural elements and classic architecture from China, Mongolia and 17 Central and Eastern European countries will be included in the events’ designs, highlighting Yekaterinburg and Moscow Station in Russia, Viru Gates in Estonia Gate, St. Peter's Church in Latvia and Athens Theater in Greece.
 
An artist’s impression of the main ice building at Harbin Ice and Snow World [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Besides the colorful light-illuminated giant ice and snow sculptures, a series of other cultural activities will be held to entertain tourists. Among the activities are ice and snow sculpture competitions, a rock music festival on the last night of 2020, as well as the second Harbin ice collecting festival – which will take place on the frozen Songhua River.

Shuttle buses running between Harbin Ice and Snow World and Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Expo will be launched to facilitate easy travel for tourists.

This year, Harbin Ice and Snow World will offer a discounted ticket price of 100 yuan ($15) per person, down from 290 yuan last year.