The 5th Ice Harvest Festival kicks off on Saturday on the frozen Songhua River in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
 
The 5th Ice Harvest Festival kicked off on Saturday on the frozen Songhua River in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.
 
An opening ceremony steeped in heritage was held, during which a group of workers in traditional costumes pulled the first ice block from the river after the head worker read a blessing.
 
The traditional ceremony attracted thousands of residents and tourists who braved the cold and strong wind on the frozen river.
   
The 5th Ice Harvest Festival kicks off on Saturday on the frozen Songhua River in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
 
Over the next several weeks, workers will collect ice blocks to transport them to different ice and snow scenic spots in the city.
 
One such spot is the Harbin Ice and Snow World Park, one of the most important venues of the city's annual winter gala, the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival.
 
The artists will carve the blocks into fanciful sculptures and transform the city into a winter wonderland.
 
After the ceremony, residents and tourists joined in various games on the ice and snow and ate local specialties.
   
The 5th Ice Harvest Festival kicks off on Saturday on the frozen Songhua River in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]