Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival

Spring is finally here. Grass is green again, trees are budding and soon flowers will bloom. For fans of winter festivals, the countdown to the next season begins. It is time to start planning to make future travels less nerve-wracking and give you something to look forward to.

The largest ice and snow festival in the world takes place annually in Harbin, China. This festival is a magnificent display of ice sculptures, where the limit in creativity is your own imagination. The people that participate go above and beyond in crafting the sculptures, some up to 46 meters tall. Many of the ice sculptures are lit up with dazzling colors that come from computer-controlled LED lights.

The festival begins Jan. 5, and officially runs for a month, but most places will keep displays up longer. There are three main exhibits, each a little different from the other. Sun Island only displays sculptures during the day so this venue would be perfect for those bringing kids with them or who aleady have plans at night. The Ice and Snow World has the largest sculptures and is colorfully lit at night. Lastly, Zhaolin Park has sculptures more geared toward children; however. anyone would love this park.

Make sure to pack warm clothing as the weather is typically -13 degrees Fahrenheit to 14 degrees F. Cold weather can affect electronics, so watch your battery life and have a back-up plan. There are 10 to 15 million visitors annually thus planning a trip for this festival sooner rather than later can ensure you have no problems finding accommodations and affordable flights.