Joyous Harbin II: 2013 Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival

In the last article, we have talked about the overview of Harbin, I think you should understand something about the ice city. And now, there is a solemn festival is held in Harbin-the 29th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. Come on and enjoy the ice  fairyland.

                                                           Chapter Two


2013 Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival

Time: January 5th-Febuary 5th, 2013   
Place: Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
Main Exhibition Areas: Sun Island & Ice and Snow World & Zhaolin Park
Activity: fantastic and artistic ice-lantern show, great fun of varied games with ice--ice-skating, sled-playing, ice-boating, winter-swimming, etc.

Harbin, the capital of China's now-frozen northeastern Heilongjiang province is holding its annual International Ice and Snow Festival. The Harbin festival is one of the world's four largest ice and snow festivals, along with Japan's Sapporo Snow Festival, Canada's Quebec City Winter Carnival, and Norway's Ski Festival.

Harbin is located in Northeast China under the direct influence of the cold winter wind from Siberia. The average temperature in summer is 21.2 degrees Celsius, -16.8 degrees Celsius in winter. Annual low temperatures below -35°C are not uncommon.

Overview of the Ice World

With a 190-day freezing season, the northeastern city of Harbin is known as a "City of Ice" and a cradle of the ice-and-snow culture in the world. The long and frigid winter, and the high plasticity and hardness of ice blocks quarried from the Songhua River, furnish favorable conditions for ice and snow sculpture. 

On January 5, 1985, the first Harbin Ice and Snow Festival were unveiled. Since then it has become an annual event from January 5 - February 5, which is highly acclaimed around the world. 

Harbin's annual ice festival is now in its 29th year. The festival features ice and snow carnival; international ice sculptures competitions in the Sun Island; ice lantern exhibition in the parks; speed skating, cross-field skiing and Alpine skiing competitions in the Yabuli Ski Resort or other famous ski resorts; fishing on the icy lakes and rivers; winter swimming in the Songhua River; ice and snow film art festival; exhibitions of paintings, calligraphy and photos; performances of folk songs and dances; wedding ceremonies on ice; economic and trade talks; commodities fairs and trade fairs etc.

The "Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival" is known as one of the most important tourist highlights in China. For years, it has been a Mecca for thousands upon thousands of world's tourists.

For instance, Zhaolin Park, one of the major venues for the festival, is turned into a Disney wonderland with ice sculptures of Mickey and his friends from classic Disney animation films. You can take a tour around the ice castles of Sleeping Beauty and have fun sliding down from the top of Aladdin's tower. 

One-day Fun of Ice and Snow Festival

From the city, there are several ways to get to the festival. If you are trying to do everything in a day, start with lunch and a stroll along Zhongyang Dajie. This pedestrian-only street is the heart of the city's Russian legacy, with interesting shops and food.

Ice Sculptures Castle

An hour in the Ice and Snow World leaves most travelers chilled to the bone. A dinner of hot pot can never seem more welcome. Cai Zhen Ji hot pot restaurant serves up the style and selections of Beijing's Ding Ding Xiang, but at second-tier city prices. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. So, when in Harbin, remember to order plenty of Harbin Beer and baijiu for endless rounds of toasts with friends.

About three blocks to the east is the Church of St Sophia, a lovely red-brick Russian Orthodox landmark with a distinctive green "onion" dome. The inside is now an architecture museum.

While there is still daylight left, take a quick taxi ride across the Songhua River to Sun Island Park. Go to the snow sculpture park first and see the huge and amazingly life-like reproductions of folk musicians, heroes of China, including Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, temples, gates, archways and other structures big enough to step through and explore. 

Then at twilight, head for the ice venue. At night the ice park glitters in colored lights like a kaleidoscope, and visitors can skate, play hockey or watch a figure-skating show as well as gawk at the huge ice city.

When night falls, a winter wonderland comes to life. The main attraction this time of the year is the Ice and Snow World, where ice sculptures are set across a large park area just north of the Songhua River. Giant blocks of ice are farmed from the river, hauled to the site, and built into world landmarks familiar to the frequent traveler.

When you have tired of gaping at the sculptures with awe, or of rubbing your hands and stomping feet to stay warm, head to the many igloo tea shops scattered around the park. Other attractions include ice slides several stories tall, dance and music shows, and cheesy photo ops with snow foxes.

Besides, winter swimming has been a longstanding Harbin tradition, drawing many enthusiasts who rave about the health benefits of polar plunging into -30°C waters. The less adventurous can stand on the sidelines and watch as middle-aged swimmers strut their stuff on the frozen surface of Songhua River before diving off a platform made of, you guessed it, blocks of ice.

Exhibition Place 1: Sun Island Park

Sun Island Park covers 15 square kilometers and is featured by cultural attractions and natural landscapes. Sun Island Park consists of one big island and some smaller islands in the Songhua River, which meander through the north of Harbin. It covers a total area of 3,800 hectares.

Sun Island Park

In summer, the island serves as a natural river beach swimming resort and sanatorium area. The island boasts several fine beaches on either bank, such as a profusion of lakes for boating, swimming pools, sunbathing facilities, a fairground, a water world and an arms museum. The middle and northern part of the island is composed of mainly forested areas and a large garden.

Various differently styled recreational buildings were built around the “Sun Lake” and the "Lotus Pond". With hidden paths winding throughout, the park is a nice area to stroll and get away from the crowds, being lushly vegetated with trees and flowers. Barbecues and picnics can also be arranged in one of the meadows here. During winter, the Sun Island is used as the playground for various winter sports; Skiing, Hockey, Ice-skating, and Sledding games. What is more important, the renowned annual Snow Carving Festival is held here.

 Exhibition Place 2: Harbin Ice and Snow World

First set-up by the Harbin Municipal Government in 1999, Harbin Ice and Snow World is by far the largest ice and snow art exhibition in the world. It is commonly referred to as possessing four of the key 'mosts': the most art attractions, the most beautiful night views, the most recreational activities and the most forms of entertainment. Furthermore, the festival is constantly evolving and each year brings with it a new theme, providing visitors with a totally unique experience from one year to the next.

Beautiful Moon

The ice carvings at the Ice and Snow World are regarded as some of the world's finest examples of ice art, with visitors able to admire some of the largest and most majestic ice-sculpted masterpieces. Each of these ice carvings is designed in some way related to the festival's theme, enabling travelers to sample a variety of cultural flavors. 

For example, in its first year the festival's layout was designed around the idea of 'Prosperous China and High-flying Longjiang', with the ice carvings depicting the rapid development of the country. In 2005, the theme was 'Friendship between China and Russia', with all the sculptures fashioned in a typical Russian style. Among them were replicas of some of Russia's most famous architecture, such as the East Palace, and Moscow's Red Square.

One of the highlights for any visitor to the festival is to visit the site at night when multicolored lights set underground illuminate the sculptures, revealing a whole new colorful dimension to the exhibits. The contrasts of the bright and dazzling lights against the dark night sky make the works look all the more spectacular.

The Ice and Snow World is also a centre for various forms of recreation and entertainment, with a variety of opportunities on offer. Visitors will be amazed by the magnificent ice buildings, including an ice maze, ice bar, and even an ice hotel. If you are a fan of snow sports, then there is also the chance to participate in activities such as ice rock-climbing, skating, skiing, sliding, snow fights, ice golf, and ice archery. 

Exhibition Place 3: Harbin Zhaolin Park

Harbin Zhaolin Park was situated in the busy center of the city, faced on to a street along the beautiful Songhua River bank. 

Under unique climatic conditions, Zhaolin Park has two characteristic natural scenes in summer and winter. In summer, the pleasant outlook is composed of flourishing greenery and fragrant-grass, while flowers in full blossom competing with each other for beauty of looks.  The small gardens in it have unique styles, such as "northern garden", "reflecting-moonshine garden", "southern greenhouse", "clove garden", luring you with their charming and beauty. 

Zhaolin Park

In winter, Zhaolin Park is a world of ice lantern. The world-famous ice lantern garden party is held here every year for many times. When night falls, the resplendence and multicolor of ice lanterns are full of the whole park. The vivid and peculiar ice lanterns are adopted by modern technologies, such as sound, light and automation. 

The design of ice lanterns includes the beautiful sceneries in the world and modern and ancient marvelous spectacles. Placing yourself in such a supernatural ice-snow world, you will enjoy yourself so much as to forget to leave. Millions of visitors are attracted to this garden party by its reputation as a scenic spot: they enjoy the marvel and magnificence of ice-and-snow in the north of China, as well as, in a fairyland.