Harbin Ice and Snow Festival

Tourists visit ed the ice buildings on display at the Grand Ice and Snow World during the 30th Harbin International Ice & Snow Sculpture Festival in Harbin, China. This year’s Ice and Snow World features the theme “Global Ice and Snow Dream, World Cartoon Tour.”

As China’s most famous and popular winter attraction, the festival has drawn a combined 28.5 million visitors in the past two years.

Ice sculptures were lit up during the opening weekend.

Visitors looked at ice sculptures during the opening of the festival.

Visitors posed with a snow sculpture of rubber duck.

A swimmer reacted after swimming in a pool carved into the thick ice covering the Songhua River during the Harbin Ice Swimming Competition.

According to organizers, about 700 swimmers across China took part in the event on the official launch day of the Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.

Visitors navigated their way through a snow maze.

Stuffed polar bears on display.

A waiter stood next to a thermometer at the Ice Palace in the Shangri-La Hotel. The Ice Palace, which is built by ice bricks, is open annually from December to February and attracts visitors during the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival.

A waitress poured liquor into ice cups on an ice counter at the Ice Palace.

A visitor checked out a snow sculpture with some teeth.

Elephants on parade.

Many of the sculptures at the festival are larger than life.

Thousands of visitors braved temperatures of negative 17 degrees to visit the Ice and Snow World.

Skiers descended down a slope during the opening ceremony.

Visitors jumped for a picture in front of a large snow sculpture.

Visitors enjoyed the slides on an ice sculpture.

A couple shared an embrace in front of an ice sculpture.

The festival runs through Feb. 28.