Shenyang International Ice and Snow Festival

First held in 1993, Shenyang International Ice and Snow Festival is one of China's increasingly celebrated winter tourist events. It combines recreation, sports and sight-seeing and it attracts millions of visitors from around the world each year. The festival has become a major contributor to the prosperity of tourism in that city as well as Liaoning Province as a whole.

Dependent upon the weather, the festival can last for up to a month during the period from December to February and always gets under way with a magnificent opening ceremony. There are three sections for the festival: the Ice and Snow Sculpture Area, the Entertainment Area and the Alpine Skiing Area.

 In this area, visitors can admire all manner of ice-carvings and snow sculptures all of which are strikingly true to life. Grand and imposing images of animals, portraits, palaces and natural sceneries are exhibited. For example, for the 2007 Ice and Snow Festival, the Daminggong Palace was replicated in accordance with the design of the real palace built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). This was the biggest snow sculpture in the history of the festival. Juyongguan Pass was another sculpture created on the lines of the actual pass on the Great Wall in Beijing. There was also the First Slide under Heaven. This ice feature was not just a visual attraction but could be used by visitors. These three magnificent sculptures were the highlights in 2007's Shenyang International Ice and Snow Festival.
 The Entertainment Area provides visitors with different kinds of skiing equipment for their enjoyment. There is a wide variety of activities, such as golf, racing, night skating, shooting from horse back and football on the snow. Every year, additional sports and activities are devised to provide visitors with new and exciting attractions.
 Visitors can rent skiing equipment, and so enjoy to the full an invigorating and fascinating winter holiday. With all the glamour associated with alpine skiing, this area provides an opportunity to discover the splendid natural surroundings. There are four alpine ski runs served by five cable ski-lifts that give access to a total area of 200,000 sq meters (49.4 acres) on the mountain.

Special performances are staged during the festival, such as folklore shows, circus performances, fire dragon and traditional Man ethnic minority dances. The program of events changes each year to incorporate new and exciting activities. For instance, in 2007 there were sleds pulled by reindeers driven by Santa Clause and autos driven on the ice. For the keen photographer great views of the ice and snow world may be seen from big balloons drifting in the sky. Commercial interests are catered for in special regions for business services, aiming to facilitate international and national economic intercourses and transactions.

The organizers of the festival strive to make the event attractive and exhilarating for everyone from home and abroad and are looking forward to its continuing success with confidence and enthusiasm. It is undoubtedly a not to be missed destination for visitors traveling in China during the winter.

It is from December 2021 to March 2022. The Qipanshan (Chessboard Hill) Ski Resort, the Dongbeiya Ski Resort, and the Baiqingzhai Ski Resort are the main venues involved.

1. Qipanshan (Chessboard Hill) Ski Resort
Located on the beautiful Qipanshan Hill, it's usually the most important venue for the Shenyang International Ice and Snow Festival. You can enjoy almost all kinds of ice and snow activities here, including the opening ceremony, lantern fair, Guandong Film and TV City Temple Fair, ice sculpture exposition, and cosplay themed on ice and snow.

Opening Time	Novembe 25, 2021 to March 2022
Opening Hours	09:00-21:00
Ticket Price	Whole Day (09:00-21:00): CNY 180 from Mon. to Fri.; CNY 220 at weekends Daytime: CNY 150 (09:00-16:30) from Mon. to Fri.; CNY 180 at weekends Afternoon and Night: CNY 120 (15:00-21:00) from Mon. to Fri.; CNY 130 at weekends Night: CNY 100 (16:30 -21:00) from Mon. to Fri.; CNY 120 at weekends
Transportation	1. Upon arrival at Shenyang Railway Station, take Subway Line 1 and get off at Dongzhongjie Station. Get out from Exit A and take bus 168, 168 Bei or 384 to Qipanshan Scenic Area. 2. Take bus 168 Bei from Shenyang North Railway Station to the scenic area directly. It takes around two hours.

2. Dongbeiya Ski Resort
It's located inside Shenyang National Forest Park, 17 miles (28 km) from the city center. With state-of-the-art equipment, it wins high popularity among tourists. The National College Students Skiing Invitational Contest is held there annually around early December.

Opening Time	November 24, 2021 to February 28, 2022
Opening Hours	08:30-21:00
Ticket Price	Daytime: CNY 130 (09:00-16:00) Afternoon and Night: CNY 130 (14:00-21:00) Night: CNY 100 (17:00 -21:00)
Transportation	1. Take bus 328 from Shenyang or Shenyang North Railway Station to Xinchengzi Station and then catch free shuttle bus from there to reach the Dongbeiya Ski Resort. 2. Take the free shuttle bus from Tiexi Square at 08:30 or 16:00. 3. Take the free shuttle bus from Shifu Square at 09:00 or 16:30.

3. Baiqingzhai Ski Resort
It's the only ski resort in southern Shenyang. The National Children's Skiing Festival will be held here this year. Funny games like mountain climbing relay race and snow ring relay race are the highlights.

Opening Time	November 27, 2021 to March 31, 2022
Opening Hours	08:30-21:00
Ticket Price	Daytime: CNY 120 (09:00-16:00) from Mon. to Fri.; CNY 150 at weekends Afternoon and Night: CNY 100 (14:30-21:00) Night: CNY 100 (16:30 -21:00)
Transportation	Take bus 387 from Nanta Bus Station to reach Baiqingzhai. Then take a taxi to the ski resort.

Tips on Skiing for your reference