Snow and Ice Festival in Harbin

In the cold northeastern city of Harbin in China passes the 26th International Festival of snow and ice. In several city parks, you can find a massive building of ice hanging over the river Songhua, large ice sculpture of a life-size ice slides, food and drinks. At night, the lights are included, and frozen viewers see how sculptures are illuminated from both inside and outside. This year the festival opened on January 5 and will last until February.





Tourists arriving for treatment in China, came to see the ice sculpture of the 26th International Festival of snow and ice in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China, January 3, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song)



Workers make snow sculptures before the festival in Harbin, 18 December 2009. (REUTERS / Sheng Li)



Man in suit posing in front of Mickey Mouse Snow Sculpture in the Park of Harbin January 5, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song)



Worker cuts the figure of snow late Chinese leader Mao Zedong at the International Festival of snow and ice in Harbin January 5, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song (CHINA - Tags: ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY TRAVEL)



Woman preparing to jump into the icy water of the river in Harbin Songhua January 4, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song)

"Walrus" warmed up before jumping into the cold waters of the river in Harbin Songhua January 4, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song)



Woman climbs on icy stairs from the Songhua River in Harbin, January 4, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song)

Workers make snow pagoda in a park in Harbin January 5, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song)



Bride posing for photos after the wedding ceremony at the 26th International Festival of snow and ice in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China, Jan. 6, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song)



Couples take part in a group wedding ceremony in front of the Temple of Heaven, Beijing image of the snow Jan. 6, 2010. The wedding was organized by the Government, and the ceremony was attended by 28 pairs, which was attended by representatives of local self-government. (REUTERS / Aly Song)



Visitors to the 26th International festival of snow and ice pose next to the giant sculptures in Harbin January 5, 2010. (AP Photo / Ng Han Guan)



People came to see the ice sculptures in the park at night Harbin January 3, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song)



Ice sculptures are illuminated from within at the annual festival of snow and ice in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang China January 5, 2010. Fairytale castles, towering pagodas, and even the Egyptian sphinx in the guise of ice - all this can be seen at this year's festival. (STR / AFP / Getty Images)



A girl stands among the brightly lit trees at the International Festival of snow and ice in Harbin January 6, 2010. (AP Photo / Ng Han Guan)



Visitors to the exhibition play ice sculpture before the opening of the festival in Harbin, 18 December 2009. (REUTERS / Sheng Li)



Big and small ice sculptures covered in Harbin Park on the 26th international festival of snow and ice, January 5, 2010. (STR / AFP / Getty Images)



People came to the Coliseum ice on ice and snow festival in Harbin, January 3, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song)



Boy goes on icy stairs in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, Dec. 24, 2009. (REUTERS / Sheng Li)



People came to see the brightly lit from inside an ice sculpture in Harbin, 24 December 2009. (REUTERS / Sheng Li)



Visitors walk between buildings made of ice at the International Festival of snow and ice in Harbin January 5, 2010. (AP Photo / Ng Han Guan)



Workers walk past an ice sculpture festival in Harbin, 18 December 2009. (REUTERS / Sheng Li)



People came to an ice sculpture in the park of Harbin December 24, 2009. (REUTERS / Sheng Li)



Woman rides down the ice slide at the festival in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang China January 5, 2010. (AP Photo / Ng Han Guan)



Woman waiting for tourists wanting to be photographed with her fox in Harbin January 3, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song)



Worker cleans the ice sculpture in the style of Disney before the opening of the festival of snow and ice in Harbin, 18 December 2009. (REUTERS / Sheng Li)



People came to see the high ice pagoda in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, Dec. 24, 2009. (REUTERS / Sheng Li)



People walk on the lighted stairs to the International festival of snow and ice Dec. 24, 2009. (REUTERS / Sheng Li)



Lit brightly colored garlands of trees and sculptures in the park Harbin January 6, 2010. (AP Photo / Ng Han Guan)



Salute lights up the sky, marking the opening of the International Snow and Ice Festival in Harbin, January 5, 2010. (STR / AFP / Getty Images)



Visitors to the festival of snow and ice watch fireworks in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, China, Jan. 5, 2010. (AP Photo / Ng Han Guan)



Ice sculptures against the backdrop of fireworks at the 26th International Festival of snow and ice Jan. 5, 2010. (REUTERS / Aly Song)



The festival begins on January 5th and lasts more than a month, if the weather is, of course, allow it. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Working finalizing ice sculpture at the entrance to the festival of snow and ice in Harbin on January 4. (REUTERS / David Gray)



A worker walks past ice sculptures at the festival. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Traders pushed their trays, preparing for an influx of visitors to the festival. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Carriage with horses on a background of ice sculpture festival in Harbin. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Work on tap completes the sculpture of ice before the festival, which was opened on January 5th. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Working suggestive final touches on a large sculpture of snow. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Work finishes snow sculptures. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Workers are completing the preparation of sculptures for the festival. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Sculptor works with blocks of ice on the main road in Harbin. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Worker sweeps the house in a huge sculpture of snow at a crossroads in Harbin. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Spectators admire the fireworks over the ice sculptures at the 12th International Festival of snow and ice in Harbin. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Firework Festival in Harbin. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Festival guests admire the illuminated sculptures of snow and ice. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Magnificent fireworks over ice sculptures. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Visitors to the exhibition walk among illuminated sculptures. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Spectators walk past ice sculptures in Harbin. (REUTERS / David Gray)



Visitors to the festival of snow and ice in Harbin. (REUTERS / David Gray)



International Snow and Ice Festival in Harbin - one of the four largest such festivals in the world on a par with Snow Festival in Sapporo, Japan, Winter Carnival in Quebec and Ski Festival in Norway. (REUTERS / David Gray)



via bigpicture.ru