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This Ice Festival in China Is a Rainbow-colored Dream

  • <p>A candy cane ice sculpture on view at the Ice and Snow World atthe festival in Harbin.</p>
    1/26

    A candy cane ice sculpture on view at the Ice and Snow World atthe festival in Harbin.

    Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

  • <p>Fireworks illuminate the night sky marking the opening of the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival to celebrate the new year.</p>
    2/26

    Fireworks illuminate the night sky marking the opening of the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival to celebrate the new year.

    NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images

  • <p>Over one million visitors are expected to attend the popular event.</p>
    3/26

    Over one million visitors are expected to attend the popular event.

    Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

  • <p>A cat sculpture constructed of ice blocksilluminated by fireworks at the opening ceremonies.</p>
    4/26

    A cat sculpture constructed of ice blocksilluminated by fireworks at the opening ceremonies.

    NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images

  • <p>Detail of giant colored ice crystalsat the festival.</p>
    5/26

    Detail of giant colored ice crystalsat the festival.

    BeeBright/iStockphoto/Getty Images

  • <p>The Festival, established in 1985, is held annuallyand lasts for over one month.</p>
    6/26

    The Festival, established in 1985, is held annuallyand lasts for over one month.

    VCG via Getty Images

  • <p>Visitors watch fireworks atthe opening ceremony of the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in China.</p>
    7/26

    Visitors watch fireworks atthe opening ceremony of the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in China.

    WANG ZHAO/AFP/Getty Images

  • <p>A view of structures built of ice during the opening night of the annual tourist attraction.</p>
    8/26

    A view of structures built of ice during the opening night of the annual tourist attraction.

    NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images

  • <p>An overview of theHarbin Ice and Snow World, in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.</p>
    9/26

    An overview of theHarbin Ice and Snow World, in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

    Xinhua/Wang Jianwei via Getty Images

  • <p>A woman takes a photo as she visits an iglooilluminated by green huedlights at the festival.</p>
    10/26

    A woman takes a photo as she visits an iglooilluminated by green huedlights at the festival.

    NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images

  • <p>Visitors take a selfieat theIce and Snow Festival in Harbin.</p>
    11/26

    Visitors take a selfieat theIce and Snow Festival in Harbin.

    NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images

  • <p>This year the park covers about 800,000 square meters. About330,000 cubic meters of ice and snow were used to create the sculptures.</p>
    12/26

    This year the park covers about 800,000 square meters. About330,000 cubic meters of ice and snow were used to create the sculptures.

    Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

  • <p>Animal forms being carved out of ice at the festival.</p>
    13/26

    Animal forms being carved out of ice at the festival.

    VCG via Getty Images

  • <p>The 2017 Harbin Ice and Snow World began trialoperations December 21, which has attracted tens of thousands of tourists to take pictures here.</p>
    14/26

    The 2017 Harbin Ice and Snow World began trialoperations December 21, which has attracted tens of thousands of tourists to take pictures here.

    VCG via Getty Images

  • <p>A view of structures built of ice during the opening night of the annual tourist attraction.</p>
    15/26

    A view of structures built of ice during the opening night of the annual tourist attraction.

    Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

  • <p>Ice temples illuminated by colored lights at the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival to celebrate the new year in China.</p>
    16/26

    Ice temples illuminated by colored lights at the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival to celebrate the new year in China.

    NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images

  • <p>A floating orb designcenterpiece at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival.</p>
    17/26

    A floating orb designcenterpiece at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival.

    Xinhua/Wang Jianwei via Getty Images

  • <p>People visit ice sculptures illuminated by colored lights at the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival to celebrate the new year.</p>
    18/26

    People visit ice sculptures illuminated by colored lights at the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival to celebrate the new year.

    NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images

  • <p>Opening night of Ice andSnow World in Harbin, China.</p>
    19/26

    Opening night of Ice andSnow World in Harbin, China.

    Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

  • <p>Tourists visit ice sculptures illuminated by colored lights during the opening ceremony of theIce and Snow World as part of the 33rd Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival inChina.</p>
    20/26

    Tourists visit ice sculptures illuminated by colored lights during the opening ceremony of theIce and Snow World as part of the 33rd Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival inChina.

    VCG via Getty Images

  • <p>A reindeer roamsthe Harbin Ice and Snow Festival.</p>
    21/26

    A reindeer roamsthe Harbin Ice and Snow Festival.

    NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images

  • <p>Workers use sawsto dig big ice blocks from the frozen Songhua River in Harbin. The ice blocks are then transported to thefestivalareas.</p>
    22/26

    Workers use sawsto dig big ice blocks from the frozen Songhua River in Harbin. The ice blocks are then transported to thefestivalareas.

    VCG via Getty Images

  • <p>A view of the almost completed construction of theIce andSnow World Park in mid-December.</p>
    23/26

    A view of the almost completed construction of theIce andSnow World Park in mid-December.

    Xinhua/Wang Jianwei via Getty Images

  • <p>Swimmers dive into a pool cut from the frozen riverbank as part of a winter swimming competition during theHarbin Ice and Snow festival.</p>
    24/26

    Swimmers dive into a pool cut from the frozen riverbank as part of a winter swimming competition during theHarbin Ice and Snow festival.

    NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images

  • <p>A participant carves an ice sculpture during a national ice sculpture contest.</p>
    25/26

    A participant carves an ice sculpture during a national ice sculpture contest.

    Xinhua/Wang Song via Getty Images

  • <p>Artists carve the 103-meter-long snow sculpture "Long Song" for theHarbin International Snow Sculpture Art Expo at Sun Islandin theHeilongjiang Province of China.</p>
    26/26

    Artists carve the 103-meter-long snow sculpture "Long Song" for theHarbin International Snow Sculpture Art Expo at Sun Islandin theHeilongjiang Province of China.

    VCG via Getty Images

<p>A candy cane ice sculpture on view at the Ice and Snow World atthe festival in Harbin.</p>
<p>Fireworks illuminate the night sky marking the opening of the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival to celebrate the new year.</p>
<p>Over one million visitors are expected to attend the popular event.</p>
<p>A cat sculpture constructed of ice blocksilluminated by fireworks at the opening ceremonies.</p>
<p>Detail of giant colored ice crystalsat the festival.</p>
<p>The Festival, established in 1985, is held annuallyand lasts for over one month.</p>
<p>Visitors watch fireworks atthe opening ceremony of the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in China.</p>
<p>A view of structures built of ice during the opening night of the annual tourist attraction.</p>
<p>An overview of theHarbin Ice and Snow World, in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.</p>
<p>A woman takes a photo as she visits an iglooilluminated by green huedlights at the festival.</p>
<p>Visitors take a selfieat theIce and Snow Festival in Harbin.</p>
<p>This year the park covers about 800,000 square meters. About330,000 cubic meters of ice and snow were used to create the sculptures.</p>
<p>Animal forms being carved out of ice at the festival.</p>
<p>The 2017 Harbin Ice and Snow World began trialoperations December 21, which has attracted tens of thousands of tourists to take pictures here.</p>
<p>A view of structures built of ice during the opening night of the annual tourist attraction.</p>
<p>Ice temples illuminated by colored lights at the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival to celebrate the new year in China.</p>
<p>A floating orb designcenterpiece at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival.</p>
<p>People visit ice sculptures illuminated by colored lights at the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival to celebrate the new year.</p>
<p>Opening night of Ice andSnow World in Harbin, China.</p>
<p>Tourists visit ice sculptures illuminated by colored lights during the opening ceremony of theIce and Snow World as part of the 33rd Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival inChina.</p>
<p>A reindeer roamsthe Harbin Ice and Snow Festival.</p>
<p>Workers use sawsto dig big ice blocks from the frozen Songhua River in Harbin. The ice blocks are then transported to thefestivalareas.</p>
<p>A view of the almost completed construction of theIce andSnow World Park in mid-December.</p>
<p>Swimmers dive into a pool cut from the frozen riverbank as part of a winter swimming competition during theHarbin Ice and Snow festival.</p>
<p>A participant carves an ice sculpture during a national ice sculpture contest.</p>
<p>Artists carve the 103-meter-long snow sculpture "Long Song" for theHarbin International Snow Sculpture Art Expo at Sun Islandin theHeilongjiang Province of China.</p>
Travel + Leisure Staff

There's an icy winter wonderland in Harbin, the capital of the northernmostand coldestprovince in China.

The city hosts an annual celebration, the International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, where ice sculptors compete to create more and more elaborate buildings of ice, all illuminated in multi-colored lights.

Preparations for the event begin months in advance, with workers digging huge ice blocks from the frozen Songhua River. The massive festival has several themed zones, and the main attraction is the Harbin Ice and Snow World, which covers more than750,000 square meters and features up to 300,000 cubic meters of ice and snow.

While impressive in daylight, the show really gets going at night, when the large-scale ice structures are illuminated by technicolor LED lighting.

The festival officially opened January 5, and typically runs through late February. Over one million visitors are expected to attend this year.