According to reports Lootke /Harbin's annual festival is officially the biggest winter festival in the world. Located in China's most northerly province, it's typically always cold in Harbin.

The festival includes the world's biggest ice sculptures.
The festival originated in Harbin's traditional ice lantern show and garden party that takes place in winter, which began in 1963.
In 2001 the Harbin Ice Festival was merged with Heilongjiang's International Ski Festival and got its new formal name, the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.
In 2007, the festival featured a Canadian themed sculpture, in memory of Canadian doctor Norman Bethune.
In 2014, the festival celebrated its 30th anniversary with the theme "50-Year Ice Snow, Charming Harbin".
In 2015, the 31st Harbin Ice Snow Festival opened on January 5 and was themed "Ice Snow Harbin, Charming China Dreams around the world"
this festival is presently viewed as one of the world's top winter celebrations, joining the ranks of the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, Canada's Quebec Winter Carnival and Norway's Holmenkollen Ski Festival.