The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is one of the world's largest ice and snow art events and has brought together thousands of artists from around the world every winter since 1985. The festival takes place in China's northern city Harbin.

It turns out that Latvia excels not only in winter sports, but also in winter arts. Latvian sculptor Kārlis Īle and his colleagues have represented Latvia in Harbin twice already. In 2011, he won first place in the ice sculpture competition, and in 2012 he took second place in the ice sculpture competition and first place in the snow sculpture competition.

From 10 to 13 January, the Snow sculpture competition will take place, and four Latvian artists – Kārlis Īle, Mintauts Buškevics, Maija Puncule, and Ainars Zingniks – will again be aiming for honours at it.

The snow sculptures will be on show as long as the weather conditions allow.