Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, the largest in the world, is mainly composed of two major venues – Harbin Ice and Snow World and Harbin Sun Island. Harbin Sun Island has annually sponsored Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo ever since 1988.
Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo (太阳岛国际雪雕艺术博览会) is an important part of the world-famous Harbin Ice and Snow International Festival. The Sun Island Snow Sculpture is often regarded as the largest snow carnival in the world. Planning your Harbin tour in winter? Sun Island Snow Festival should be on your sightseeing list.
When does Sun Island International Snow Sculpture start?
The Sun Island Snow Sculpture Art Expo officially starts on Jan, 05 and lasts about 60-70 days each year together with Harbin Ice and Snow World.
Not far from each other, a visit to Sun Island Snow Sculpture is often coupled with a tour of Harbin Ice and Snow World, which are connected by a public double-deck bus no. 29. The bus no.29 also brings you to Zhongyang Street, the most renown European style street oft-lauded as the Architecture Museum in China.Virtual
Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Tickets
Visiting Time: 2 – 3 Hour
Entrance Fee: RMB 240 (Adult)
RMB 120 (Child)
Children under 1.2m, senior citizens over 70 years old (with senile card), and the disabled (with card) are free of charge.
Opening Hours: 8:30 – 18:30
How to Get to Sun Island Scenic Area
Address: The annual Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Expo is held inside the Sun Island Scenic Area ( No. 3, Jingbei Road, Songbei District, Harbin )
Ferry: take ferry to Sun Island from Flood Memorial Tower ( at the northern end of Zhongyang Street)
Bus: Take No. 29, 80, 85, 88 and get off at Sun Island
Virtual Tour of Harbin Sun Island Snow Sculpture
Now follow me to visit Sun Island dotted with snow sculptures.
The theme of Sculptures changes annually, not what you see in the pictures here.
Basically each Sun Island snow expo has a dominant sculpture. Each year has a major theme for sculpture works of art and the year I visited was known as “绽放”，literally “Bursting into life”, a huge snow carving over 160 meters long and 39 meters high, which was one of the largest snow works of art for the past snow expos.
Actually the dominant sculpture was a large piece of snow carving arts based on several phases of snow carving which can bring to visitors different visual enjoyments and unique snow carving experience.
The dominant “绽放” sculpture was a group of sculptures with Russian and Chinese elements – Russian buildings, holy snow, white swans, Longjiang Dragon,etc. This major sculpture was aimed at the booming development of Heilongjiang and China as a whole.
The dominant Sculpture at Sun Island Snow Expo
Snow sculptors are still putting the final touches on the huge snow works of arts.
The biggest breakthrough that year was the creative blend of Chinese calligraphy and snow engraving. Chinese traditional paintings and calligraphy were innovatively mixed, creating a new form of arts.
A special snow garden is allocated for showing the new form of arts – Chinese calligraphy and snow carving.
The snow-walled garden was rife with Chinese traditional Chinese culture – blur-color vases, writing and painting on the snow walls, and snow engraving on the walls as well.
Chinese traditional painting of galloping horses done on the snow wall.
Chinese painting of the Chinese gourd done on the snow wall
The Snow Village opposite the dominant “绽放” sculpture was typical of a Northern China village in snow season.
A close-up view of the door front of a village house.
The whole island was scattered with snow carvings which mainly fall into three categories – Sculptures by Expo Snow Artists; sculptures selected from College competitions and finally from the national competitions.
Let’s have a glimpse of the sculptures done by the expo snow artists.
The sculpture named “Peace”.
The winged Victory of Samothrace which washolding an olive branch and spreading wings, shows people’s expectation for peace.
Ark of Happiness
Kingdom of Minions
The Gift of the Apple
Pigtails. In symmetrical way, it shape eastern traditional beauty of pigtails with her hands under her cheeks.
Tip: Hassle-free Northeast China Escorted Tours
Don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route? No worries, We at Tour Beijing have some options for Northeast China guided tours with English-speaking tour guides:
Harbin Tour
Harbin 3 Day Tour Package
Changchun Tour
Shenyang Tour
Dalian Tour
Dandong Tour
North Korea Tour
Northeast China Tour
Further Readings
Top Attractions in Northeast China
Top 10 Attractions in Harbin
Top 6 Things to Do in Heilongjiang
Top 10 Attractions in Shenyang
Top 10 Attractions in Dandong
Top 10 Attractions in Ji’an
Top 10 Attractions in Panjin
Top 10 Attractions in Dalian (Tips, Photos and Maps)
Best Time to Visit Harbin
Where to Stay in Harbin
Harbin West Railway Station
Top Things to Do in Winter in Harbin
Harbin Ice and Snow Happy Valley
Harbin Ice and Snow World
Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo
Harbin Winter Swimming
Madie’er Popsicles in Harbin
Harbin Jihua Ski Resort
Suan Cai Jiaozi – New Year’s Soul in Dongbei
What to see in Harbin, things to do in Harbin
China Snow Town
Scenic Drive from Harbin to China Snow Town
Shuttle Bus from Harbin to China Snow Town
Harbin – Yabuli – China Snow Town Shuttle Bus
Sunrise Glow over China Snow Village
Night View of China Snow Village
Qiqihar Taxi: Qiqihar Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Mudanjiang Taxi: Mudanjiang Taxi Fares, Tips and phones
Harbin Taxi: Harbin Taxi Fares, Tips and Phone
Yanji Taxi: Yanji Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Jilin Taxi: Jilin Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Changchun Taxi: Changchun Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Dandong Taxi: Dandong Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Shenyang Taxi: Shenyang Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Any questions, just drop a line.
Hello!
How can I take part in the festival “Harbin Ice and Snow Festival” Festival as a sculptor?
where you can see the position of the festival?
Aleksandra
Dear Aleksandra,
Sun Island in HAarbin is the venue for the annual snow sculpture art expo.
Harbin Ice and Snow World is the brand name of the oft-lauded largest venue for Ice and Snow Festival in the world. The venue is located 3.3 km north of Songhuajiang Road Bridge on the west side of Sun Island in Songbei District of Harbin – the capital city of Heilongjiang Province in the northernmost China.
If you want to be a sculptor, basically you need to contact the administration of the festivals in Harbin.
If i go on 9 April, will there be any snow left to be seen? Appreciate your good recommendations. Thank you.
Dear Elin,
Sorry, most of the snow and ice activities will come to an end at the end of February. Thanks for your inquiry!
The entry fee now is 330 rmb, even in December before the Festival begins. They should charge less, considering many sculptures and rides are not finished yet. Also, sculptures change annually, not what you see in the pictures here.