Harbin Ice Festival 2014 - Things have been pretty quiet down in China after the New Year's Eve stampede in Shanghai. In fact, their usual ice festival that has garnered rave reviews from across the world wasn't so much hyped given it didn't have much of publicity nor did it go off with a bang.
Officials of the Harbin Ice Festival 2014 called off the fireworks for safety concerns. All this due to the stampede in Shanghai that took the life of thousands of visitors. Last year's ice festival didn't gain much popularity despite the towering ice structures.
Even before the Harbin Ice Festival 2014, China's ice festival receives thousands of visitors from around the world just to catch a glimpse of the humungous ice sculptures. Fireworks were set to go off in the night to light up the ice sculptures that replicated the French cathedrals, Russian churches, and Chinese palaces.
Yet, due to the stampede at Shanghai's hub on New Year's Eve that killed 36 people, officials cancelled the fireworks all for the safety of visitors. Due to the cancellation, the Harbin Ice Festival 2014 received an equally frosty reception.
"It was the main reason for us coming here today," shares an angry Li Chen in a report by GMA Network.
Others however refused to let the fireworks cancellation ruin their Harbin Ice Festival 2014 experience. Apart from the ice sculpture displays, the ice festival also gives way to an ice sculpture competition, which is known to be the most prestigious in the world.
For those who wish to visit the Harbin Ice Festival 2014, be advised to bring a coat as Harbin lies in the north east of China known to carry the frostiest winds from Siberia. The temperature averages at minus 16.8 degrees Celsius.
The Harbin Ice Festival 2014 starts every Jan. 5 and runs for a month. The ice sculptures on the other hand remain frozen in place until the month of March.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
