Harbin Ice and Snow World, China, was first launched in 1999. It is a large-scale ice and snow art masterpiece project introduced by the Harbin Municipal Government of Heilongjiang Province to welcome the millennium celebration "China Millennium Tour" event. It is a large scenic area developed and managed by Harbin Ice and Snow World Co., Ltd., integrating ice and snow art, ice and snow culture, ice and snow performances, ice and snow architecture, ice and snow activities, and ice and snow sports. As of February 2026, 27 editions had been held, and the park's largest area reached 1.2 million square meters. The project is held annually from late December to early March of the following year.
In order to welcome the worldwide live television broadcast of the millennium celebration organized by the United Nations, Harbin decided to build a large-scale ice and snow theme amusement park on the sandbar in the middle of the Songhua River, using the art form of ice and snow to represent China and showcase the city's unique style. In December 1999, the first Harbin Ice and Snow World was successfully held, and it helped Harbin's "International Ice and Snow Festival" rank among the world's four famous ice and snow festivals. Starting from 2000, the main venue of the opening ceremony of the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival on January 5 each year was moved to Ice and Snow World. In 2009, the sub-venue of the opening ceremony of the Winter Universiade held in Harbin was set up at Ice and Snow World. On February 21, 2026, the 27th Harbin Ice and Snow World announced its closure. Starting from August 31, the four-season ice and snow project of Harbin Ice and Snow World began operation. As of October 12, the 28th Harbin Ice and Snow World had entered a comprehensive preparation period and will welcome guests as scheduled in the 2026–2027 ice and snow season.
The main attractions of Ice and Snow World include the Dream Ice and Snow Museum, the Ice and Snow Food Hall, the Four-Season Amusement Hall, the Ice and Snow Show, the Snowflake Ferris Wheel, and the main torch tower of the 9th Asian Winter Games, "Snow Rhyme Lilac," among others. Among them, the four-season ice and snow project operates year-round on a regular basis. Harbin Ice and Snow World receives more than 1 million tourists from around the world each year, and has played an important role in enhancing the international image and visibility of China's ice and snow tourism. In 2024, Ice and Snow World was recognized as the world's largest ice and snow theme park and received a Guinness World Record title; it is the only ice and snow cultural tourism scenic area in the world to be simultaneously listed on all six categories of the 2025 Ctrip Reputation List.