As winter tightens its grip on northeast China, Harbin's Sun Island Snow Expo reveals its crowning achievement: a 23.8-meter-tall snow sculpture named Mr. Snowman, now confirmed as a centerpiece for the upcoming 2026 Spring Festival Gala. This frozen colossus, blending traditional Chinese New Year motifs with cutting-edge snow architecture, stands as testament to the region's cultural innovation.
Completed during the recently concluded 2025 Snow Expo, the structure incorporates 35,000 cubic meters of compacted snow. Its design features intricate carvings depicting zodiac animals and winter harvest scenes, illuminated nightly by sustainable LED installations. Cultural authorities confirm this will serve as the primary backdrop for the Spring Festival Gala's northern segment broadcasts.
The installation has already drawn 1.2 million visitors since December 2025, with tourism officials projecting record numbers during the Lunar New Year period. Local businesses report a 40% surge in winter equipment sales compared to last year, signaling strong economic momentum for the region's cold weather economy.
