The 33rd Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival
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Don't forget your scarf! The 'world's largest winter festival' opens in China as visitors queue in extreme temperatures as low as -23 degrees
- Harbin International Snow and Ice festival opened to members of the public on January 4
- The festival in its 33rd year is expected to remain open for around 100 days in 'the city of ice'
- Lowest temperatures in the northern Chinese city are around -23 degrees Celsius at the moment
By
SOPHIE WILLIAMS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 00:56 +11:00, 6 January 2017 | UPDATED: 01:33 +11:00, 6 January 2017
A spectacular ice festival has kicked off in the northern Chinese city of Harbin.
Over 100,000 people a day are expected to visit this year's Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, often described as 'the world's largest winter festival', which is open for around 100 days of the year, reports the
People's Daily Online.
Harbin's best ice and snow carvers have been putting the finishing touches to their work during a month soft opening and now the grand festival has opened to the public on January 4.
Visitors queued up to enter a castle-like structure at this year's 33rd Harbin International Snow and Ice festival on December 31 during the trial operation.
Bright lights: Night time view of ice sculptures lit up on December 26 during the trial operation of the 33rd Harbin Ice Festival which officially kicked off on January 4
A lot of tears and hard work: Visitors viewed a 114 feet sculpture on display at this year's festival on January 5
Ice sculptures made up a large part of the festival in northern China which lasts on average 100 days
Harbin, known as the 'city of ice', is located in northern China where temperatures often hit record lows.
On January 4, the day of the festival's grand opening, visitors braved temperatures as low as -23 degrees to visit the neon-lit ice castles and sculptures.
Today, the lowest temperature of Harbin was -22 degrees, according to China's National Meteorological Centre. Next Tuesday, the lowest temperature is expected to be -27 degrees.
The festival in its 33rd year, showcases the region's tradition of snow and ice carvings.
Each year the event has a theme with this year's theme being deemed 'Pearl of Ice'.
The sculptures are made by both local and international designers who use ice carved from the nearby river before installing lights inside them.
A clever way of using ice: The sculptures are made from blocks of ice carved from a nearby river in the city
A range of designs: Sculptures on display this year include animals and cartoon characters along with world monuments
Sculptures on display this year include animals and cartoon characters along with world monuments.
And in traditional Harbin style, there is also a 1,115-foot-long slide for visitors to experience.
During the festival, there will also be high-level international ice and snow art events along with an ice and snow culture festival.
Almost ready: On January 3, pictures emerged of contestants adding the finishing touches to their sculptures
Ice sculptures were seen during the festival in Harbin, capital of northern China's Heilongjiang province, on January 3
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The 33rd Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival will take place from January 5, 2017 to February 25, 2017.
Spectacular and diverse ice artworks are showcased, attracting millions of visitors every year.
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