Harbin International Snow and Ice Festival

The Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival (or simply Harbin Ice Festival) is a festival held every year in Harbin, China. It involves ice sculptures and winter activities. The festival exhibits open from late December to late February.

The festival has been held since 1963. It started as a local traditional ice lantern show and garden party during Chinese Spring Festival.

Background
The festival was stopped for a number of years during the Cultural Revolution. It was resumed on 5 January 1985, when the Harbin city government hosted it at Zhaolin Park. It was then announced as an annual event. In 2001, the festival was merged with Heilongjiang International Ski Festival and got its current formal name. The Harbin Ice Festival is one of the world's top ice and snow festivals. It attracts a growing number of visitors from around the world.

Things to see and do
The festival has a series of shows at theme parks and ice activities on the Songhua River.   
 Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Fair 
 Ice Sculptures Show at Ice and Snow World
 Zhaolin Park Ice Lantern Show 
 Siberian Tiger Park	 
 Harbin Jewish New Synagogue	 
 St. Sophia Cathedral 
 Zhongyang Dajie

 References 


Other websites
Harbin Ice Festival 
Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival

Category:Festivals in China
Category:Harbin
Category:1985 establishments in Asia
Category:1980s establishments in China
Category:Ice