Travelers Today | By Lena Vazifdar
Updated: Jan 16, 2013 02:42 PM EST
The Harbin Ice and Snow World Festival is northeast China's annual winter festival. It started earlier this month and included fireworks over the opening ceremony, incredible ice sculptures made from massive blocks of ice from the Shonghua river all lit up with LED lights.
The 29th annual festival began on Jan 5 and lasts for over a month. Travelchinaguide.com reported that the festival started in 1985 and became an annual event. Harbin is the capital city of Heilongjiang Province and the festival attracts hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world.
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Credit: Reuters
"The city's location in northeast China accounts for its arctic climate which provides abundant natural ice and snow. Subsequently, the 'Ice City' of Harbin is recognized as the cradle of ice and snow art in China and is famous for its exquisite and artistic ice and snow sculptures," writes travelchinaguide.com. "The fabulous Ice Lantern Festival was the forerunner of the current festival and is still the best loved part of the overall event in the opinion of all who go to that city each year."
National Geographic reported that the ice festival has Russian influences and every year the ice blocks are created into magnificient sculptures including palaces, pyramids, dragons, fairies and slides. The festival shows off local artisans and their handywork as well as international ice teams. There is also a snow sculpture exp at the Sun Island recreation area as well as an Ice Lantern Garden Party.
Credit: Reuters
Daytime activities include ice boxing and figure skating. "After dark, bundle up to see the festival's illuminated ice displays dazzle neon bright against the night sky," says National Geographic.
Source: http://www.travelerstoday.com/articles/4224/20130116/harbin-ice-snow-festival-lights-up-china.htm
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