Snow production for the 27th edition of the Harbin Ice and Snow World, in Heilongjiang province, northeast China, is now underway. The design of the first snow sculpture to welcome the Year of the Horse is already finished, according to an employee of the largest ice and snow theme park in the world.
During the 2024-25 season, the attraction transformed its 1 million square meter park into a dazzling play space for visitors from China and abroad, using 300,000 cubic meters of ice and snow. During its 68 days of operation, it received a total of 3.56 million visitors, including a record of more than 100,000 visitors in a single day on February 1, 2025.
In addition to the 27th edition of the Harbin Ice and Snow World, another of the most visited points in China is the Great Wall, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. The Great Wall has a total length of approximately 21,196 kilometers and crosses several provinces.
27th edition of the Harbin Ice and Snow World
Once the snow reaches the quality required for the construction of the sculptures, it will be transported to the outdoor area of the east entrance control lobby, where it will be used to create the first large snow sculpture of the 27thª edition of the annual festival: a work depicting three horses entitled “The fairy tale pony family”.
Cong Peiyu, director of the Department of Design and Research and Development of the Ice and Snow World of Harbin, declared on Tuesday that the pony sculpture was designed to commemorate the Year of the Horse in 2026.
A total of 400,000 cubic meters of ice and snow will be used to create a magical winter paradise, worthy of a fairy tale, for visitors to one of the most popular winter tourist attractions in China.
The production of artificial snow is a task that combines technology and experience.
According to a park report published on Tuesday, workers must not only operate the machines, but also continuously monitor weather conditions and changes in snow quality to ensure that it meets construction requirements.
The 27th edition of the Harbin Ice and Snow World will be expanded from 1 million square meters of the previous edition to 1.2 million, thus becoming the largest edition since its inauguration in 1999.
According to local authorities, the number of ice sculptures and snow structures will exceed that of previous years and various technological elements will be incorporated to improve interactive experiences.
Several new facilities will be added, including new lockers and a thermal camp in the snow. New experiences will also be offered such as winter fishing, cross-country skiing and snow soccer.
The park’s intelligent services will be modernized, covering each stage of the visit to provide visitors with more personalized, efficient and complete attention. A pneumatic dome of 5,000 square meters will be added to offer visitors a comfortable space to rest, eat and stay warm. Although the area of the park will be expanded, the price of tickets remains at 328 yuan (46 dollars) per adult.
The official opening of the park is scheduled for the end of December, according to a customer service employee on Tuesday.
With the recent drop in temperatures, the National Alpine Ski Center in Beijing’s Yanqing district has also begun to produce artificial snow. For the 2025-26 ski season, the center will gradually open 13 professional slopes, with options for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers.