2015 Harbin Ice Festival

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The ice festival hosted by Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang province, China is one of the most popular ice festivals in the world. This annual event is an ice-and-snow festival. Four expansive parks display the creative artistry of people. Gigantic ice sculptures are everywhere, some models of well-know global monuments, others of animal and human figures and yet others of lanterns and varied objects. A beautiful lighting system makes for a  stunning sight at night. A competition is also held for the sculpting artists. 
There are a whole lot of fun things to do besides standing agape at the beautiful ice sculptures! Activities centered on this festival include:
  • Ice-Sailing, sliding and sledging
  • Ice hockey and ice football
  • Speed skating
  • Alpineg skiing competitions
  • Swimming and fishing
  • Art shows, photography and painting exhibitions
  • Calligraphy display
  • Cultural performances showcasing traditional folk dances and songs
  • Wedding ceremonies on ice (interesting, that!) 
  • Trade fairs

The festival will be open to the public from January 5th, 2015 to February 28th, 2015. The organizers generally have a trial run in December, during which time the public does not get entry. 

 Note that you need to have separate tickets for each of the parks that form the collective venue for the festival. The main entryway is adjacent to the Flood Control Monument. 

Some tips:
  • You get discounted tickets at Zhaolin Park if you visit before 15:30p.m. You can save money that way!
  • Make sure you have your visa ready in time for the festival! The usual visa has validity for 3 months from the time of the visa being issued. Keep in mind that the visa processing could take time from 1 to 2 weeks so don't wait till the last minute to get your visa issued by the Chinese embassy / consulate.
  • Make sure you put on adequate warm wear as recommended by the organizers at their website. They suggest that you can visit Central Street in case you are have insufficient winter garments to keep out the chill. They also recommend masks to cover your nose and lips to protect yourself from the dry weather.

For more information on ticket prices, tour packages and general information, contact: Ph: +86 773-2675596 / Email: info@icefestivalharbin.com
Website: http://www.icefestivalharbin.com/attraction-p9-harbin-international-ice-and-snow-sculpture-festival.html

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