Ice Festival

The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is an annual winter festival that takes place with a theme and now is the largest ice and snow festival in the world. The 2017 theme is apparently "Ice Snow Joy Ode, Meet in Harbin", whatever that means. The ice section was an interesting selection of illuminated ice structures and made for an entertaining evening. Subtle it isn't and the event had an air of the circus about it. People were sliding down bits on little plastic sleds that were available to purchase. There was also a wide range of stalls selling food and souvenirs alongside the reindeer sleigh rides. I am glad we went but am not hankering to return. The snow sculptures at Sun Island were just as interesting and a lot less commercialised.