In the city of Harbin, China’s 31st International Ice and Snow Festival has begun. This is one of the world’s largest such events, and always brings some psychedelic wonderment to the bitterly cold city. Here are some photos as the fest gets underway.
As CNN reports, the festival’s multiple themed areas sprawl across some 750,000 square meters, and “works are mostly inspired by Chinese fairy tales and famous landmarks, such as the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian Pyramids, and Iceland’s Hallgrimskirkja church. It’s best seen at night when sculptures are lit up from the inside, giving the whole area a fairyland feel.”
According to its official website, the annual event also includes a beauty pageant, a group wedding ceremony, multiple ice-sculpture competitions for artists of all ages and skill levels, and a winter swimming tournament.
Photos by Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty Images via Curbed.
