Winter Wonderland

    Welcome to the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival. It takes place every winter in Harbin, China—a place known for its frigid winter weather. (Temperatures get as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit!) But instead of fearing the cold, Harbin’s residents celebrate it. Nearly 10,000 workers come together to build the festival’s frozen city. 

    In December, they start preparing. They need a lot of ice. So they head to Songhua, the local river. By then, it’s frozen over. Workers cut out big chunks of ice. Some pieces weigh more than 1,500 pounds!

    Then the builders get to work. The ice is trimmed into blocks and stacked to create the festival’s many structures. Some buildings even have LED lights frozen into the walls. This allows them to be lit up at night—giving the city a magical glow.

    Finally, artists from around the world come to carve dazzling details. They turn the ice blocks and packed snow into mystical animals and famous landmarks.

    When the artists are done, the festival can start! It kicks off every January and runs for about two months, depending on the weather. 

    Welcome to the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival. It takes place every winter in Harbin, China. Temperatures there get as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit! But the people don’t fear the cold. They celebrate it. Nearly 10,000 workers come together to build the festival’s frozen city.

    In December, they start preparing. They need a lot of ice. So they head to Songhua, the local river. By then, it’s frozen over. Workers cut out big chunks of ice. Some pieces weigh more than 1,500 pounds!

    Then the builders get to work. The ice is trimmed into blocks and stacked to create the festival’s many structures. Some buildings have LED lights frozen into the walls. At night, the lights give the city a magical glow.

    Finally, artists carve in details. They turn the ice blocks and packed snow into animals and famous landmarks.

    When the artists are done, the festival can start! It kicks off every January and runs for about two months.

    Welcome to the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival. It takes place every winter in Harbin, China—a place known for its frigid winter weather. (Temperatures get as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit!) But instead of fearing the cold, Harbin’s residents celebrate it. Nearly 10,000 workers come together to create the festival’s frozen city.

    In December, they start preparing. Their project requires enormous quantities of ice, so they head to Songhua, the local river. By then, it’s frozen over. Workers cut out gigantic chunks of ice, some weighing more than 1,500 pounds!

    Then the builders get to work. The ice is trimmed into blocks and stacked to create the festival’s many structures. Some buildings even have LED lights frozen into the walls. This allows them to be illuminated at night, giving the city a magical glow.

    Finally, artists from around the world arrive to carve dazzling details. They transform the ice blocks and packed snow into mystical animals and famous landmarks.

    Once the artists have completed their work, the festival can begin! It kicks off every January and runs for about two months, depending on the weather. 

    Harbin began holding the frozen festival in 1963. That year, it drew about 250,000 visitors. Today it’s one of the largest festivals of its kind in the world. In 2024, more than 3 million people attended.

    But the festival isn’t just a sight to see. There are also plenty of activities to enjoy. Visitors can ski. They can play hockey or go ice fishing or tubing. They can wander through a winding maze or take in breathtaking views from a Ferris wheel. Those craving extra thrills can even dive into the river for a chilly swim or race down a giant, icy slide.

    Does that sound fun? Then hurry up and get there before it all vanishes! 

    Harbin first held the frozen festival in 1963. That year, it had about 250,000 visitors. Today it’s one of the largest festivals of its kind in the world. In 2024, more than 3 million people attended.

    There’s plenty to see at the festival. But that’s not all. There’s plenty to do too. Visitors can ski. They can play hockey or go ice fishing or tubing. They can wander through a maze or ride a Ferris wheel. For extra thrills, they can take a chilly swim in the river or race down a big, icy slide.

    Does that sound fun? Then hurry up and get there before it all vanishes! 

    In 1963, the first year Harbin held the frozen festival, it drew about 250,000 visitors. Today it’s one of the largest festivals of its kind in the world. In 2024, more than 3 million people attended.

    In addition to sightseeing, the festival offers a wide variety of activities to enjoy. Visitors can ski, play hockey, or go ice fishing or tubing. They can wander through a winding maze or enjoy breathtaking views from a Ferris wheel. Those craving extra thrills can even dive into the river for a chilly swim or race down a huge, icy slide.

    Does that sound appealing? Then hurry up and get there before it all vanishes!