By www.icefestivalharbin.com
Harbin Ice Festival Brochure
The annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is commonly known as Harbin
Ice Festival. It is the largest ice and snow festival in the world. The festival has been held since
1963. It had been interrupted for a number of years during the Cultural Revolution (1966 - 7976)
but had been resumed by 1985.
Officially, the festival starts January 5th and lasts to the end of February. Ice sculpture decoration
technology ranges from the modern (using lasers) to traditional (with ice lanterns). While there
are ice or snow sculptures throughout the city, there are four main theme parks: Ice and Snow
World, Ice Lantern Fair (aka Ice Lantern Show) in Zhaolin Park, Sun Island International Snow
Sculpture Art Expo, Songhua River Ice and Snow Happy Valley. Winter activities in the festival
include skiing, snowboarding, skating, dog/horse/deer sledding, snowmobiling, ice spinning, ice
fishing, winter-swimming, wedding ceremony, cultural performances, all kinds of sport
competitions, ice and snow sculpture competitions, and so on.
Ice and Snow World
Ice and Snow World is located in west part of the Sun Island, Songbei District of Harbin. It is
known as a fantastic winter wonderland, features numerous illuminated full size buildings made
from blocks of 23 feet thick crystal clear ice directly taken from the Songhua River.
Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo
Located on Sun Island, the expo features beautifully carved snow sculptures, massive
dimensions. The expo has different theme in
different year. The snow sculptures represent
different cultural background. On the island,
tourists can enjoy many interesting winter
activities and experience the local custom show.
Ice Lantern Fair
The Ice Lantern Fair is located in Zhaolin Park. Many beautiful ice lanterns are showed there. Best
viewed after dusk.
Songhua River Ice and Snow Happy Valley
Songhua River Ice and Snow Happy Valley is located nearby the Flood Control Monument (the
square at the end of the Central Street). Tourists can take part in many interesting ice and snow
related activities, such as spinning top,
ice bicycle, skating, tire sliding,
rock-climbing, ice karting, curling stone,
ice bumper cars, Counter Strike Cosplay,
snow football and more.
Getting around
Siberian Tiger Park
The park houses more than 800 of the
endangered Manchurian Tiger, also
known as the Siberian Tiger, in a large
grassland enclosure, and, most famously,
allows visitors to ride in buses among the tigers and feed meat to the tigers.
Central Street
This cobblestone lined
street is a pedestrian only
street that could serve as
a perfect remnant of the
bustling international
business activities at the
turn of the 20th century.
The 1.4-km long street is a
veritable museum of
European architectural
styles, including Baroque
and Byzantine facades,
Jewish architectural
wonders, a Russian restaurant, French fashion houses (Fake Chinese Brands), American snack
food outlets (Mcdonalds and KFC and a Chinese owned "American Bar"), and a Japanese
restaurant. In winter, one can walk out onto the ice or take a dog sledge or horse sledge ride. It is
the prettiest site in Harbin as far as the city itself is concerned, however, if you go mid-day during
the weekend be prepared to push through the crowds.
Harbin Polarland
Harbin Polar Land is the first theme park of polar land scenes in China.
The park's highlights are the wonderful polar land animal shows. Kids
favorite place!
Saint Sophia Church
One of the few still standing Orthodox churches in Harbin, the church
is now converted into a Harbin Museum of Architecture. Inside there are exhibitions of many
photographs from old times. Definitely worth going into, however, if you are used to European
Churches do not expect the quality.
Harbin New Synagogue
Has been restored and contains an impressive collection detailing the history of Jews in Harbin.
There were 20,000 at one point and the synagogue is well worth a visit.
Heilongjiang Provincial Museum
Built in 1922 and claims to have over 14,000 pieces of relics. It is a good place to explore Harbin's
history and culture.
Dragon Tower
Another place to explore Harbin's history and culture, it boasts of the third tallest TV tower in
Asia. Standing on the top of the tower, you can get a commanding view of the city.
Confucius Temple
Initially built in 1926 and completed in 1929, the Harbin Confucius temple is the largest one of its
kind in northeast China.
Things to do during the ice festival
1. Watch ice lantern show/fair in Zhaolin Park in the evening.
2. Visit the Snow Sculpture Art Expo on Sun Island, where displays all kinds of snow sculptures by
artists from all over the world every winter. You can experience different countries' cultures.
3. Visit Ice and Snow World. The park is a wonderland night or day, with numerous ice sculptures
and its interesting winter activities are suitable for all visitors.
4. Make an adventure in the Siberian Tiger Park by special car, feed tigers and lions with flying
chickens or running cattle and watch them capturing their prey is a special experience. Great fun
for both adults & children!
5. Watch fishing, swimming and diving performance on the frozen Songhua River, play ice slides,
enjoy dog sledding and ice sailing.
6. Drink in the ice bars on the street or in the Ice and Snow World.
7. Watch polar animals and performances in Polarland with your kids.
8. Explore Harbin historical sites and Manchu culture
9. Enjoy different style food from all over the world in the Central Street.
10. Go skiing/snowboarding/sledding/snowmobiling in Yabuli, Erlongshan, Jihua or other ski
resorts.
Where to ski during the ice festival
1. Yabuli Ski Resort
Yabuli Ski Resort is about 193km from Harbin downtown. Being the biggest and best ski resort in
China at present, it provides great skiing with high mountains and excellent snow. The resort has
some famous skiing schools. It is also the biggest training centre for alpine skiers in China and
hosts of many professional skiing competitions. In 1996 and 2009, the 3rd Winter Asian Games
and the 24th Winter Universiade were once held here respectively. Yabuli Ski Resort also offers
very excellent hotels and restaurants.
2. Jihua Ski Resort
The Jihua Resort (Jihua Changshou Mountain Ski Resort) is located in Binxi National Forest Park,
about 38 kilometers from Harbin downtown and is one of the best-known ski resorts in China.
Built in a natural basin and surrounded by mountains, the towering peaks snake around and
enclose the resort forming a natural wind-sheltered haven. The resort has 15 different ski slopes,
which in total covers a distance of 30 kilometers, cater for beginner, medium and advanced-level
skiers. The resort is the training base for Harbin Skiing Team. It is a good place for cross-country
skiing.
3. Erlongshan Ski Resort
Erlongshan Ski Resort is about 60 km from Harbin downtown. The resort has 8 trails for different
skiers. The child ski ground is the first of its kind in China. The ski resort covers around 780,000
square meters, and is capable of holding 4,000 skiers at the same time. The lift from the resort
base to the top offers unique views of undulating countryside. Hotels, restaurants, coffee shops,
skiing schools are available in the ski resort. Here, tourists can enjoy many ice activities, such as
snowmobile driving, tyre sliding, sledging, and sleighing, and so on.
4. Harbin Institute of Physical Education Ski Field
Harbin Institute of Physical Education Ski Field is also known as Harbin Institute of Physical
Education Maor Cheonmasan Ski Resort, is located 85 km to the southeast of Harbin and 90 km
away from the urban proper at the outskirts of Maoershan (Mt. Maoer) Town. It is convenient to
public transport because of the available railway and highway. This park has been the venue for
single-board skiing and biathlon competition in the 24th Winter Universiade.
5. Harbin Moon Bay Ski Field
Moon Bay (Yueliangwan) Ski Field neighbors the beautiful Sun Island. It covers an area of 200,000
square meters with a comprehensive building of 2,000 square meters, and it is an integrated
leisure and holiday resort that provides catering, accommodation and entertainment. The ski
field provides exclusive night skiing and some other entertainments like horse riding, bike riding,
and dogs or goats driving sleds, which would create a new field for tourists to enjoy themselves
in the snow.
6. Ice and Snow World Ski Field
The Ice and Snow World Ski Field is adjacent to the Ice and Snow World in southeast, nearby the
Songhua River Highway Bridge (Songhuajiang Gonglu Daqiao). This ski field has only two rails for
the beginners and the intermediate skiers.
7. Pingshan Shenlu Ski Resort
This ski field is located in A Cheng City,70 kilometers away from Harbin, is Heilongjiang province
SSS tourist resort,
