The mother of all the world's snow and ice events, the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival puts on a jaw-dropping display. Spread throughout the city, the festival boasts absolutely enormous sculptures – think hulking castles and intricate temples – as well as an ice lantern fair and wintry sports like snow football.

The official opening ceremony is on January 5, 2026, but the main venue of the Ice and Snow Festival is expected to open between December 20 and 25, and the festival will run until late February 2026.

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The most extraordinary snow and ice festivals in the world