Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, Harbin, China

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City of ice. Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, Harbin, China

The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, in China's Heilongjiang Province, begins today with all the spectacle and fanfare you’d expect from the largest festival of its kind. Big, bold and beautiful, the event features more than 2,000 ice sculptures made from ice collected from the nearby Songhua River by nearly 1,000 workers.

Many of the sculptures are illuminated with colourful lights, creating a vibrant, glowing world of ice. It's estimated the colourful sights attract more than 18 million visitors each year. The event, which runs until late February, also features alpine skiing, cold water swimming in the Songhua, as well as a festive ice lantern show.