Sun Island Snow Sculpture Expo

Sun Island Snow Sculpture International Art Expo takes place each winter on Sun Island (Taiyang Dao), a large natural island in the Songhua River that serves as Harbin's premier recreational park during summer. From late December through February the island hosts an international snow sculpture competition and exhibition, with teams from dozens of countries carving enormous white sculptures from compacted snow blocks — dragons, mythological figures, abstract forms, and architectural fantasies that can stand over 10 metres tall. Unlike Ice and Snow World's illuminated ice buildings, the Snow Expo showcases the subtler art of snow sculpture in natural daylight. The island is reached by a 10-minute cable car ride across the frozen river or by walking across the ice when conditions permit.