China Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival
Maybe you’ve been to Disneyland, but you’ve definitely never been to an “Ice and Snow Disneyland.”
Every year, the China Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival transforms the city into a winter wonderland, a sort of “Ice Disneyland.” It draws countless visitors each winter eager to experience the artistry of ice and snow. Here, you can marvel at world-class ice sculptures, join in various snowy activities, and taste authentic Northeastern Chinese cuisine.
There’s plenty to do at the Harbin Ice Festival. You can ride on icy transport like ice bikes, snow go-karts, or snowmobiles. Try climbing the giant ice castles or whooshing down from the top of an ice slide. If you’re not into sports, there are chill activities like sledding, building snowmen, wandering through ice mazes, or scaling ice hills. For the thrill-seekers, there are challenges like snowfield paintball, ice soccer, and tug-of-war on ice, offering a competitive edge.
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Highlights of Harbin Ice Festival
Harbin Ice and Snow World
The China Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival features some of the world’s most ephemeral architecture—unique, irreplaceable structures. Thanks to the local climate, ice harvesting, building, and lighting setup all happen within just over two weeks, transforming Harbin into the world’s largest ice and snow theme park. This theme park, known as “Ice and Snow World,” is the festival’s main venue. It boasts hundreds of ice buildings, countless creative snowmen, artistic ice sculptures, and China’s famous super ice slides.
Ice Castle
Stepping into Harbin’s Ice and Snow World, you’ll be absolutely awestruck. Nearly every castle here is built from blocks of ice. Each ice castle is flanked by neatly aligned ice columns, giving off a regal, palatial vibe. At night, when the vibrant lights come on, it feels like you’ve entered the fairy tale world of “Frozen.” You can explore dozens of these grand ice castles in one go—an experience unlike any other.
Snowflake Ferris Wheel
The Ice Ferris Wheel at the China Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is a landmark feature located inside the Ice and Snow World theme park. Almost every visitor dreams of riding to the top to get a sweeping view of the entire festival. Standing at 120 meters tall, equivalent to a 42-story building, the Ferris wheel offers a panoramic view not just of the park, but also of the scenic banks of the Songhua River, north and south of Harbin. The wheel includes 48 gondolas, each with a capacity for 10 people, featuring luxury, dining, romance, family, and KTV-themed cabins, all providing a 360-degree scenic experience.
Ice Architecture
Alongside the massive ice castles, the Harbin Ice Festival boasts a variety of beautifully crafted ice buildings shaped like iconic structures, including churches, the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall, and pavilions. These aren’t just approximations; the carvers have meticulously sculpted the details to make them appear lifelike, as if these structures were real and merely frozen in ice and snow.
Creative Snowmen
What would a snow festival be without snowmen? At the Harbin City Ice Festival, every few meters you’ll encounter a variety of snowmen shaped like figures from Jizo Bodhisattva to the Statue of Liberty to cartoon characters, all crafted with striking realism. You even have the chance to make your own snowman right there at the festival—let your imagination run wild!
Super Ice Slide
If you’re planning to visit the Ice and Snow World theme park, I highly recommend trying the super ice slide. Built entirely of ice, it features a steep drop, an ultra-slick surface, and lightning-fast speeds. Riding down on a specially designed sled, you’ll experience a thrilling blend of speed and excitement that’s sure to have you screaming with delight. In 2025, the number of tracks was increased from 14 to 24, with the longest track stretching 521 meters. You might have to wait in a long line, but it’s well worth it.
Ice Sculptures from Past Harbin Ice and Snow Festivals
Every year, the Harbin Ice Sculpture Festival features stunning ice sculptures and adorable snowmen. It’s hard to imagine how the sculptors transform huge blocks of ice into works of art. The shapes include traditional Chinese dragons, Buddha statues, and blue-and-white porcelain designs.
Harbor Ice Sculpture Competition
The annual Harbin International Ice Sculpture Competition attracts artists from all over the world. World-class ice sculptors create stunning works of art, from dragons to fairies. These beautiful sculptures are a key part of Harbin’s identity and draw visitors from all over.
Performance of Harbin Snow Festival
Ice and Snow Show
In addition to the attractions, Harbin Festival of Ice features incredible performances. You’ll see ice skating, magic tricks, high-energy LED dance shows, and romantic ballroom dancing. Each night offers four 30-minute shows with performers from around the world.
Ice and Snow Car Ballet
The Ice and Snow Car Ballet is a thrilling stunt show, the first of its kind in China. Top drivers race high-performance cars and special vehicles in extreme conditions. The stunning motorcycle and car tricks get your adrenaline pumping in the roar of engines, offering an unforgettable rush.
Participating in Harbin's Winter Sports
Skiing
Yabuli Ski Resort is Harbin’s most famous, with slopes for all levels, from beginners to experts. You can also take skiing lessons to improve your skills and fully enjoy the sport.
Ice Skating
Harbin Ice Festival offers a wide variety of ice skating activities, including curling, ice disc, ice performances, and even ice biking. The ice rink hosts fitness performances like drum dances and traditional folk dances, showcasing the local passion for winter sports.
Snowmobiles
Snowmobiles and ice karts zoom across the snow, thrilling participants with speed and action. The drifting snow, the cold wind, and sharp turns add to the excitement. Cheers and screams fill the air as riders race across the course.
FAQ about the Harbin Ice Festival
1. Why Are Harbin's Ice Sculptures So Particularly Clear and Transparent?
The ice used for the sculptures comes from the Songhua River. The ice must meet very high standards, so it is carefully harvested from the section of the river with the calmest flow, clearest water, and highest transparency. Every year, starting in December, when the Harbin section of the Songhua River completely freezes over, ice harvesting begins. Hundreds of workers and dozens of ice transport trucks operate on the frozen river in temperatures as low as -30°C.
2. Do the ice sculptures at the Harbin Ice Festival have to wait until the ice on the river is thick enough to start building?
No, that’s not the case. To begin the ice sculpture construction early and meet tourists sooner, they start even before the Songhua River fully freezes. At the end of November, when the river is just starting to freeze but the ice isn’t thick enough for harvesting, they use 40,000 cubic meters of natural ice blocks that have been stored for a year.
These ice blocks are covered with up to eight layers of insulation, such as grass, plastic sheets, and colorful cloth, and are then surrounded by snow walls and thick soil for extra protection. With these insulating measures, the ice storage area maintains optimal conditions—low temperatures, darkness, heat insulation, and airtightness—so even in the heat of summer, with temperatures above 30°C, the ice doesn’t melt. In this way, the ice is kept preserved for a whole year.
3. How are ice sculptures made?
Ice sculptures are typically created outdoors in temperatures below -20°C (-4°F). In the early days, the tools were basic, like a hand planer. If sculptors needed to carve a hole in the middle of the ice, they would use a knife and carefully chip away at it. Over time, electric tools were introduced. With a chainsaw, a few quick cuts could remove large chunks of ice.
Today, there are even more advanced tools, like electric grinders. These grinders can be fitted with different attachments, allowing sculptors to create detailed designs, such as coral for an underwater scene or even irregular shapes like waves.
Hours & Fees
Hours
From late December to mid-to-late February each year.
Fees
328 CNY per person (≈ $45 USD).
How Do Local Visitors Rate the Harbin Ice Festival?
Translation:
Last year, I finally visited Harbin’s Ice and Snow World. It’s really easy to get there—just a few minutes’ walk from the subway. The park is huge, and the views are completely different during the day and night. Since I was with kids, we didn’t follow a set itinerary, just wandered around at our own pace. I highly recommend visiting the Ice and Snow World during the day. The sunlight makes the ice structures sparkle, and the whole park feels like a giant art exhibit. It’s truly breathtaking. At night, it’s a bit less impressive. The lighting colors aren’t as nice, and it doesn’t have the same high-end feel as during the day. However, there are lots of ice and snow performances at night, which are really fun. I can’t wait for the next Harbin Ice Festival!
Translation:
The Harbin Ice and Snow Festival is a huge hit with kids! I took my child there once before, and she didn’t have enough fun. She’s been asking to go again. The environment is great, and it didn’t feel too cold when we were out enjoying the activities. The attractions are really fun. My child even wants to bring her friends and classmates next time! The only downside was the long wait times for some of the rides. We waited over an hour for the super ice slide, and it was freezing while we were in line. My nose started to run, and it froze into icicles!
Translation:
My first stop in Harbin was the Ice and Snow World theme park. It was super crowded. If you want to watch a show, you’ll have to wait at least two hours. It was so cold, I decided to skip the show. The big slide also had a wait time of over two hours. At 4 PM, the lights turned on, and the ice sculptures were stunning. The ice carvings were beautiful, and I was so curious I touched one. It didn’t melt at all—it was frozen solid! There are also many paid attractions inside the park. The Ice and Snow World isn’t far from the subway. If you can’t get a taxi, you might want to take the subway. There are restaurants inside, but there aren’t many seats. The restaurants were packed, and there was no place to rest.
