Runs from January 5th to the end of February each year.
The artistic side of this cultural tradition derives from the making of wind-proof shells for candle-based lanterns using hollowed-out ice blocks.
[video v=8z3TYlsHTgQ start=45]Videos about Harbin Snow and Ice Festival, China
The Harbin 哈尔滨 Snow and Ice Festival plus skiing at Yabuli 亚布力
Harbin is the capital of HeiLongJiang province in north east China.
Harbin is quite a large city with a population of around 10 million and is well served by both train and plane. It has some Russian influences in terms of architecture; it has been called the Oriental St. Petersburg. It is a candidate for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Harbin has a wide seasonal temperature variation: from an average minus 18C in January to plus 23C in July.
The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival runs every year during January and the beginning of February.
The YaBuLi International Ski Resort, the biggest and perhaps best ski resort in China, lies 180 kilometers (110 miles) south east of Harbin. Because of its high elevation (1,000 - 1300 meters, 3,300 - 4500 feet), snow falls for a long period of around 170 days. The period from November to late March is the skiing season here. The resort has high quality snow and has hosted the Winter Asian Games and the 2009 Universiade. It is open all year round with activities such as tennis, hot-air ballooning and paragliding.
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