Ice, snow festival opens in Chi

Beijing, Jan 5: A winter festival featuring all things related to ice and snow opened in Harbin, capital of Chi’s Heilongjiang province, on Tuesday. The three-month long festival boasts of more than 100 ice and snow events, covering tourism, culture, trade, sports and fashion, Xinhua news agency reported.

In addition to an ice-themed fun fair and ice sculptures, visitors can participate in a parade, enjoy winter fishing, get married in or take a dip in the hot springs. The festival is spread out over 800,000 sq.metres and contains more than 330,000 cubic metres of snow and ice. This year’s festival will feature a 51-metre tall crown of ice and snow, the tallest and heaviest structure of its kind, officials said. LED lights line the streets, lakes and parks, creating a welcoming, festive atmosphere in Harbin. More than 100 foreign artists will compete in the ice sculpture and LED lighting design competitions. (IANS)