HARBIN: Harbin Ice-Snow World, the largest theme park of its kind in the world, closed on Saturday as rising temperature led to melting of its ice and snow landscapes.
The 27th edition of the popular winter attraction, located in Harbin, the capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, ended its run earlier than usual this year due to safety concerns and to ensure a quality visitor experience amid the thaw, according to the organizers.
Visitors who have reserved tickets can get full refunds, and in a special gesture, those who bought tickets for the period between Feb. 20 and 28, 2026, will be granted free admission to the next edition of the park.
While the outdoor park bids farewell for the season, the world’s largest indoor ice-and-snow theme park located within the Harbin Ice-Snow World complex will open at noon on Sunday.
As an established ice-and-snow theme park, Harbin Ice-Snow World is one of China’s leading winter attractions.
China aims to boost its ice-and-snow economy as a new source of growth, targeting an economic scale of 1.2 trillion yuan (about 174 billion U.S. dollars) by 2027 and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030, according to guidelines released by the State Council.
Earlier last week, the famous Harbin Ice-Snow World theme park in Heilongjiang province was tempo-rarily closed for two days after rising temperatures, organizers announced.
According to a notice from the park, temperatures are forecast to rise above 0°C in the coming days, which could affect the ice and snow landscapes. To ensure visitor safety and experience, the 27th edi-tion of the park will adjust its operating hours.
The park will be closed on Friday and Saturday (the fourth and fifth days of the Lunar New Year).
Visi-tors who have already purchased tickets can apply for a full refund through their original purchase channels.
The park plans to reopen on Sunday at 5pm and extend operating hours until midnight. After reopen-ing, the standard adult ticket price will be reduced to 228 yuan, and concession tickets will be 168 yuan.
The Heilongjiang Meteorological Bureau forecasts a significant warming trend from February 19 to 21, with temperatures rising 10 to 12°C over three days, and up to 13 to 15°C in some areas. On Friday, temperatures across Heilongjiang are expected to approach 0°C, peaking on Saturday with southern areas reaching 6 to 8°C, and possibly 8 to 10°C locally. –Agencies
