Take a Peek at the World’s Largest Snow and Ice Festival in Harbin, China

Harbin, China, doesn't hibernate during its cold winters. Each January, the city hosts the International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, believed to be the largest event of its kind, Insider reports.

The first-ever Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival took place in Harbin in 1985. Today, the attraction lasts a little less than two months and draws millions of visitors from around the world.

Close to 10,000 people are needed just to transport and sculpt the ice that attracts spectators. The structures are built using 777,000 cubic feet of ice blocks obtained from the nearby Songhua River and cover 6.5 million square feet of land. At night, they're illuminated by colorful, interior lights to create a dazzling display. The effect is inspired by the traditional lanterns of Heilongjiang, the province where Harbin is located. There, lanterns are carved from ice and lit up with candles. These traditional lanterns are much smaller than the festival's ice sculptures, which can reach as high as 150 feet.

The International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival lasts until February 25, and costs $48 to attend. If you can't make it to northern China to catch the event, check out some photos from this year's festival below.

[h/t Insider]