Harbin Lantern show
The cold has taken Europe, but you can’t imagine what is expected in Asia…the annual Ice and Snow Sculpture festival with -35 degrees, so prepare your gloves, hats and curiosity, that will open you a brand new world of ice…Harbin annually hosts this beautiful festival, gathering thousands of people from all over the world together, with some of the best ice sculpture artists. This year it will be the 30th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, starting at the 5th of January, lasting for one month, so plenty of time to get there.Harbin Ice festival will give all the visitors a whole new world of ice, it’s like an ice town, with best collections of ice artworks were exhibited in the following five main places:Ice and Snow World, Ice Lantern Garden Party, Sun Island Scenic Area, Yabuli International Ski Resort and Zhaolin Park. Harbin city is located in the north of China, having arctic climate and providing abundant natural ice and snow. This city is known specially for this event, the Ice Lantern Festival is still the best loved part of the overall event in the opinion of all who go to that city each year.
Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival dates back in 1985, but the traditional Harbin Lantern show was originally held back in 1963 at the show garden party in winter, more like a winter time tradition in North of China. Then locals, fishermen and peasants made e and used ice lanterns as jack-lights during the winter months, originally they made them pretty simple, pouring water into a bucket that was then put out in the open to freeze. They chiseled a hole in the top , sticking a candle inside, making a nice windproof lantern that gained great popularity in the region around the city and it was officially announced as an annual event at Zhaolin Park on January 5 in 1985.
The Sun Island park is another of visitor’s favorite, displaying a wonderful snow world, having the world’s largest indoor ice and snow art museum, totally open for the public. Ice and Snow world came as tradition since 1999, being one of the world’s largest ice architecture parks. World famous architectures like Great wall, Pyramids of Egypt and diverse Chinese fairy tales are used as the inspiration for the ice and snow sculptures.
Harbin citizens are more than excited about this festival, cos it has become so much more than just an exposition of ice and snow art, it has become an annual cultural event where experts, artist and fans from all over the world gather in this city, competition, communicating and participating in this marvelous ice and snow world.
