Traditionally, snow fun is held where the winter is long and severe, and ice and snow are abundant — for example, in Norway or Canada. However, among the largest in the world include festivals in Harbin (China) and Sapporo (Japan).
China, Harbin, international snow and ice festival
This event has been held annually since 1963. There were breaks in its history, but since 1985 the festival has been resumed and now annually receives guests from all over the world. There are always a lot of tourists for whom there is an extensive program, including skiing and Snowmobiling, and even swimming in the hole.
Ice for sculptures is brought from the river Sungari, snow in the North-East of China, where Harbin is located, is also enough — winters are severe, the thermometer can periodically fall below the mark of -30 degrees.
Especially beautiful at the festival at night, when colorful lights transform ice sculptures, painting them with bright colors.
The official start of the festival is January 5, it lasts exactly a month. But of course, fantastic creations of masters arise on its platforms not by wave of a magic wand on the eve of opening — it is long process which sometimes does not stop even at night. And in fact, the scope of the festival is much wider: some of the work can be seen before the official opening, and at the end of the program, many buildings are preserved, as long as the weather allows.
Japan, Sapporo Snow festival
The history of this festival begins in 1950, but the world fame came to him more than 20 years later — after the XI winter Olympic games, which were held in Sapporo in 1972. Since 1974, there is an annual international competition of snow figures, which involves teams from around the world.
The Japanese festival is held in early February and lasts only one week, but this does not prevent its participants from creating grandiose snow monuments. Take a look at the following photo-it’s impressive, isn’t it?
Festival events in Sapporo are held at several venues. The Kingdom of snow in Odori Park will move into the icy tale, situated in the Susukino area.
Amazing ice figures not only decorate the city, but also attract many tourists who come to the Snow festival in Sapporo every year.
The third site of the festival, stadium Tsutomu, where snow artists create copies of the monuments of world architecture. In full size.
The Snow festival in Sapporo has a competitor: the second largest city in Hokkaido-Asahikawa annually at the same time holds its own winter festival. Snow compositions giant size participants of such events is difficult to surprise, but it was at the festival in Asahikawa was registered Guinness record for the largest snow sculpture.
In search of “highlights” the organizers of the Winter festival in Asahikawa decided to bet on an unusual illumination — and not lost. No wonder this event is now called the holiday of light.
Brilliantly executed composition of the ice attractive in and of themselves — and cleverly-chosen lighting creates the real magic.
Canada, Ottawa, Winterlude
Like light effects and in Canada. To verify this, just look at the photos taken in Ottawa at the Winterlude festival.
This holiday is relatively young — it is held every February since 1979. The main events are usually confined to the weekends, but to admire the works of participants of competition and in everyday life. The only thing that can spoil the festive atmosphere — unstable weather: thaw in Ottawa is not uncommon.
Unlike festivals in China and Japan, the international competition of snow and ice sculptures is only part of a very extensive and varied program of events, including, among other things, such exotic fun as “race waiters” and “race on the beds”, which are held on lake DOE. However, the ice figures do not become less beautiful or less amazing.
Winterlude is not the only ice and snow sculpture festival in Canada. Toronto hosts IceFest every year on the February weekend, and Quebec city attracts tourists to The winter carnival every winter. Here on the occasion of events build a large Ice Palace and even the hotel is built of ice and snow.
The holiday in Quebec is held annually since 1955 and lasts more than two weeks — from January 31 to February 16. Well, for the first time such an event took place here already in 1894. Its program is also very extensive and includes not only a competition of ice sculptures, but also numerous sports, concerts, sledding and other winter entertainment.
In General, this publication could be endless — after all, wonderful competitions, festivals, exhibitions of ice and snow sculptures are held in winter, probably, wherever weather conditions allow.
Tell us about the ice fairy tale you saw, share photos, invite us to a holiday in your city!
Leave a Reply