If you’re a fan of Winter Wonderlands and snow-covered scenes, then you will love the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival. As the name suggests, it is an annual ice sculpting competition and festival, taking place in Heilongjiang Province in northern China. In its beginning, this winter carnival featured almost solely Chinese sculptors, but over the years it got more and more recognition, and it is now considered one of the world’s top winter festivals. Naturally, in recent years, artists from all around the world have taken part.
These 15 beautiful images will let you enjoy some of the winter magic.
The event was first celebrated in 1985. It drew inspiration from Heilongjiang’s traditional lanterns, which were carved out of ice and illuminated by candles.
Nowadays, a visit to Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival will feel like entering an entire frozen city, and there are plenty of activities – skiing, ice skating, ice soccer and for the very brave; swimming in the ice-cold Songhua river.
