Updated: November 17, 2022
The 2023/2024 Harbin Ice and Snow Festival is coming soon! And its official opening ceremony is expected to be held on January 5 in 2023!
The winter can not only be white and quiet, it also can be colorful and abustle. But you have to go the right place. If you are looking for such as winter adventure, please come to Harbin Ice and Snow Festival. Here you can not only enjoy pleasant landscape of white and pure snow and ice, but also participate in many interesting activities and events.
The Upcoming 2023/2024 Harbin Ice and Snow Festival:
It is celebrated during December 25, 2022 to the late February 2023.
If you are planning a tour to enjoy the festival this year, please feel free to contact us to get more detailed infomation. Also, if you want to add more Harbin surprises into your tour, such as Harbin Snow Town and Yabuli Ski Resort, we are always glad to help!
Harbin Ice and Snow Festival is usually held during middle or late December to the next February, which is slightly changed every year. The officially opening date of Harbin Ice and Snow Festival is usually during late December or early January on which a grand opening ceremony will be presented. You are suggested to come during the period after the opening ceremony when all the venues are open, and all tourist-friendly facilities are offered. The New Year Day and Chinese Spring Festival also take place during the ice and snow festival when many interesting activities related to traditional Chinese culture will be organized.
Advice on The Best Time to Enjoy the Festival: If you want to take part in all kinds of activities and events, you can choose late December ~ early January to come. If you want it be less crowded, choose the dates between early January and about January 20th and early February, except for the week of Chinese Spring Festival (January 31 ~ February 6).
Get inspired from our customer's Harbin Ice and Snow Festival Travel Photos >>
There are three main venues used for the Ice and Snow Festival. Each site has its own features, offering different landscape as well as activities.
Quick Jump to:
Amazing Ice Sculpture (Ice and Snow World)
Dacing Show (Ice and Snow World)
The Ice and Snow World is the main venue of Harbin Ice and Snow Festival. It is the largest ice and snow amusement park in the world with an area of 600,000 square meters. It has the most beautiful ice sculptures during the festival and there will be more than 2,000 displayed. You are suggested to visit this site in the late afternoon when the lights will be turned on and create a vivid and colorful world of castles, streets, walls, towers, etc. Some structures are over three stories high and show very intricate designs. Taking a roam amongst those bright and glittery ice towers is really mind-blowing and unforgettable!
Well, if time allows, you can stay for 3-4 hours and even a full day at the Ice and Snow World. Before enjoying the wonderful night views, you can go to see the International Ice Sculptures Competition (indoor), watch performances ( figure skating, cool LED hip-hop, romantic ballroom dancing, and hot dance), join in ice and snow sports (skating, curling, sleighing, ice biking, ice slide, etc.).
What to Expect: Ice sculpture masterpieces, LED light shows, performances, ice and snow sports, etc.
Location: west to Sun Island, Ice and Snow World, Songbei District, Harbin 150000, China (黑龙江省哈尔滨市松北区(江北)冰雪大世界园区); about 20 minutes’ driving distance from St. Sophia Cathedral
Opening Time: 11:00 - 21:00
Recommended Visiting Time: about 1-2 hours for simple walk to see sculptures and lights; 3-5 hours include performances and ice and snow activities.
Ticket: 330 RMB
>> Learn More about Ice & Snow World
Snow Sculptures (Sun Island)
The Sun Island is a stunning place with crystal lakes, delicate rockeries, beautiful flowers and exotic architectures. However, during the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, it becomes another major venue and shows you the most distinguished snow sculptures which are large in size and related to culture. On the pure white ground, countless excellent sculpture works come out from snow, such as iconic ancient architectures, figures, cartoon characters, landscapes, etc., just for your exciting moments to admiration and photography. Moreover, there you will also find quite a lot interesting winter sports, including skating, sliding, etc. You are suggested to visit this site during the day time.
What to Expect: Snow sculpture masterpieces, ice and snow spots, etc.
Location: No.3 Jingbei Road, Pingfang District, Harbin 150000, China (黑龙江省哈尔滨松北区警备路3号); about 25-30 minutes’ driving distance from St. Sophia Cathedral
Opening Time: 08:00 - 17:00
Recommended Visiting Time: about 1 hours for simple walk to see sculptures; 2-3 hours include ice slides and other snow activities.
Ticket: 240 RMB for ticket of International Snow Sculpture Art Fair
Warm Tips: you are highly suggested to wear sunglasses for the glary from sun on the snow is really intense
Ice Lantern Garden Party (Zhaolin Park)
During Harbin Snow and Ice Festival, Zhaolin Park provides an Ice Lantern Garden Party since 1963. Visitors will be shocked by the vast sea of ice lanterns. More than 1500 icescape works are displayed to form a fantastic and festival land for family and friends visitors. This place gives richer atmosphere to feel local culture and Chinese tradition for gathering. Besides the large sculpted pagodas, animals, pavilions, landscapes, etc., you can hand your companions to join in the entertaining items to have fun and warm up your bodies.
What to Expect: Icescape works, ice lights, ice entertaining activities, etc.
Location: No.37 Senlin Street, Daoli District, Harbin 150000, China (黑龙江省哈尔滨道里区森林街39号); 10 minutes walking from St. Sophia Cathedral
Opening Time: 09:00 - 21:00
Recommended Visiting Time: about 1-3 hours.
Ticket: 150 RMB
Tips: During Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, the average temperature of Harbin is -18℃ and it may fall to below -30℃ at night, so wear more clothes and warm shoes to keep you from being freeze. Done coat, thick jacket, mouth-muffle, hat and gloves will also be helpful.
Apart from the main venues above, you can also visit other sites to feel the festive atmosphere of Harbin Ice and Snow Festival. Zhongyang Pedestrian Street usually will hold a Zhongyang Street Ice Sculpture Art and Culture Festival, Harbin City Concert Hall will hold the New Year Concert to celebrate the coming of the new year, Songhua River will be the site for a lot of ice sports including the International Winter Swimming Game, etc.
The timetable of the 2021/2022 Ice and Snow Festival for your reference:
| Event / Activity | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 47th Harbin Ice Lantern Art Fair | Jan 1st, 2021 - Feb, 2021 | Zhaolin Park |
| 33rd International Snow Sculpture Art Expo | Dec 20, 2020 - Feb, 2021 | Sun Island |
| 22nd Harbin Ice and Snow World | Dec 24, 2020 - Feb, 2021 | Ice and Snow World |
| 35th Harbin International Ice Sculpture Competition | Jan 6-8, 2021 | Zhaolin Park |
| 26th Harbin International Snow Sculpture Competition | Jan 4-6, 2021 | Sun Island |
| 13rd International University Students Snow Sculpture Competition | Jan 4-7, 2021 | Harbin Engineering University |
| 27th National Snow Sculpture Competition |
Dec 17-20, 2021 |
Sun Island |
| 37th Ice Festival City Circuit Procession | Jan 5, 2021 | Harbin Expo Center to Ice Snow World |
| 37th Harbin Ice Festival Opening | Jan 5, 2021 | Harbin Expo Center |
| 37th Harbin Ice Snow Group Wedding Ceremony | Jan 5, 2021 | Sun Island |
| 2021 New Year Concert | Dec 31, 2020 | Harbin City Concert Hall |
| 2021 International Children Art Variety Tournament | Jan 5-10, 2021 | Harbin Youth Theater |
| 23rd International Skiing Festival Opening | Dec 20, 2021 | Yabuli Ski Resort |
| 2021 International Winter Swimming Game | Jan 1-5, 2021 | Harbin Ice Festival Swimming Venue |
| Songhua River Ice Snow Happy Valley | Jan 1- Feb.5, 2021 | Songhua River |
| 36th Harbin Ice Festival International Trade Fair | Jan 5-8, 2021 | Harbin Expo Center |
| 10th Central Street Ice Sculpture Art and Culture Festival | Dec 25, 2020 - Feb, 2021 | Central Street |
Usually, you are suggested arrange about 3 days to visit the top city highlights of Harbin and have fun in the Ice & Snow Festival. If time permits, you can spend about 2 more days to travel further to Yabuli Ski Resort or China Snow Town to spend more time with snow and snow activities. Please see our popular itineraries at below for your trip planning inspiration.
Opening Ceremony of Ice and Snow Festival
Day 1 - Arrive at Harbin by flight or high speed trains. If time allows, go to visit Zhaolin Park to enjoy the Ice Lantern Garden Party.
Day 2 - Go to Sun Island to see the magnificent Snow Sculptures. Then, visit the nearby Siberian Tiger Park to observe different kinds of tigers (Siberian Tigers, White Tigers, Snow Tiger, Liger, and Jaguar). Lastly go to the amazing Ice and Snow World.
Day 3 - Before Harbin departure, go to visit the best Harbin city attractions, including St. Sophia Church, Zhongyang Pedestrian Street, Laodaoway, and Jiuzhan Park with a lot of winter activities in ice.
St. Sophia Church in Harbin City
Beautiful China Snow Town
Day 1 - Arrive at Harbin by flight or high speed trains. If time allows, go to visit Zhaolin Park to enjoy the Ice Lantern Garden Party.
Day 2 - Go to Sun Island to see the magnificent Snow Sculptures. Then, visit the nearby Siberian Tiger Park to observe different kinds of tigers (Siberian Tigers, White Tigers, Snow Tiger, Liger, and Jaguar). Lastly go to the amazing Ice and Snow World.
Day 3 - Drive about 5~6 hours to China Snow Town, the No.1 China Snow Town located in Shuangfeng Wood Farm in Mudanjiang. Explore the snowscape around.
Day 4 - Hike Yangcaoshan Hill, the highest hill in the snow town at 1235 meters above the sea level. Later, continue your adventure to Dream Home which is a famous site to shoot some Chinese TV series and movies. After that, wander along the 500-meter-long Snow Charm Avenue decorated with big red lanterns. Last, say goodbye to this fairytale snow world and drive back to Harbin.
Day 5 - Before Harbin departure, go to visit the best Harbin city attractions, including St. Sophia Church, Zhongyang Pedestrian Street, Laodaoway, and Jiuzhan Park with a lot of winter activities in ice.
Yabuli Ski Resort Skiing
Day 1 - Arrive at Harbin by flight or high speed trains.
Day 2-3 – Go to Yabuli by car and enjoy the marvelous snowscape and have best fun with skiing and diverse snow activities. In the afternoon, go back to Harbin city by car to have good rest.
Day 4 – Go to Sun Island to see the magnificent Snow Sculptures. Then, visit the nearby Siberian Tiger Park to observe different kinds of tigers (Siberian Tigers, White Tigers, Snow Tiger, Liger, and Jaguar). Lastly go to the amazing Ice and Snow World.
Day 5 - Before Harbin departure, go to visit the best Harbin city attractions, including St. Sophia Church, Zhongyang Pedestrian Street, Harbin Flood Control Memorial Tower, and Stalin Park with a lot of winter activities in ice.
Forbidden City in Beijing
Beijing is the most popular gateway to Harbin, therefore, a lot of visitors prefer departing from Beijing to enter the ice city. From Beijing, you can take a flight to Harbin, which takes only about two hours. There usually are about 15~20 flights to Harbin each day. You can also take a high speed train. Beijing has 7 high speed bullet trains to Harbin each day with a total train ride around 7~8 hours.
You are suggested to spend 3~4 days in Beijing visiting the famous World Heritage Sites of Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Great Wall, etc. Then transfer to Harbin to join the Ice and Snow Festival.
Recommended Beijing Harbin Tour:
>> 6 Days Beijing & Harbin Stunning Winter Tour by Flight
>> 6 Days Amazing Snow Ice Tour from Beijing by High Speed Train
Rime on Songhua River
Shenyang Imperial Palace
If you got a long vacation, you can extend your trip beyond Harbin and its Ice & Snow Festival to visit more brilliant culture and holy winter landscape of the whole Northeast China, in Jilin, Changchun, Shenyang and Dalian.
Day 1 - Arrive in Harbin.
Day 2-3 - Visit Harbin city highlights, enjoy Ice & Snow Festival and transfer to Jilin City.
Day 4 - Visit Jilin City highlights and Songhua River scenery. Then, transfer to Changchun by car.
Day 5 - Visit Changchun to learn its history and culture once as the capital of Puppet Manchukuo, and transfer to Shenyang.
Day 6 - Visit Shenyang City highlights about the past Imperial Palace and famous general, etc. and move to Dalian City.
Day 7-8 - Before flying off from Dalian City, admire the pleasant sea scenery, Western styled street blocks and city highlights.
>> Check detailed 8 Days Northeast China Tour with Harbin Ice & Snow Festival
To help you experience a worry-free Harbin trip and catch all the highlights in this wonderful city in northeast China, we recommend you choose to travel with China Discovery. Our local guide and driver will escort you from your hotel to the tourist spot with comfortable Licensed Private Car Arranged by China Discovery, and the guide will give interesting and professional introduction of the highlights to enrich your trip. So you can save more time and energy from the vehicle planning and waiting to pay more attention to the attractions and local culture.
Furthermore, if you are interested in visiting more destinations in China, such as Shanghai, Xian, Guilin, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Lhasa, Yangtze River Cruise, etc., please feel free to tell us directly, and our professional travel expert will help you tailor make your own trip according to your interests, needs and budget!
Popular Harbin tour packages to have fun on Harbin Ice and Snow Festival are as follows. Pick your favorite to join in this annual grand fair!
Harbin / China Snow Town / Yabuli Ski Resort / Harbin
Shanghai / Harbin
Harbin / Jilin / Changchun / Shenyang / Dalian
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