Harbin, the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, is now home to the biggest ice and snow festival in the world. The 31st Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival will officially start on January 5, 2015 and end on February 28, 2015. The theme parks of the festival will include Harbin Ice and Snow World, Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo, Ice Lantern Fair, Songhua River Ice and Snow Happy Valley, and so on. During December of 2014, many national/international ice and snow sculpture contests will be held for the festival. The theme parks of the festival will conduct a trial opening from December 20 to January 4, the earliest date to see the festival is around December 25, 2014.
(note: these pictures were taken during the Harbin ice festival 2014)