With “snowpocalypse” and snowstorm Juno wrapping up in the Northeastern US, people are finding creative uses for their snow. Many build snowmen or form ramps to go sledding, skiing, or snowboarding on, or simply use the snow as an extra cooler and place anything from meat to alcohol in the packed snow. Around the world, people also find innovative uses for their snowy tundra.
In Finland, there is the famous Arctic Snow Hotel and Glass Igloos where you can sleep, eat, even go to a snow sauna, all in a giant igloo. For 170 Euros (or $193) you can rent a room a night completely surrounded by snow or in a glass igloo. The Finns have used their resources well. They have even made a chapel made out of ice where wedding ceremonies take place.
In Harbin China, there is an International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival every year between January and the end of February. This colorful festival includes sculpting, art exhibits, winter swimming, ice hotels, dog sledding, safari-style Siberian tiger watching, and everyday winter fun such as ice skating, sleigh rides, and snowmobiling. At night, ice lantern art lights up the sky. The lantern art is based on garden art and is constructed using electricity to build various ice scenery.
According to the Huffington Post the top 10 ice festivals in the world are:
1. International Festival- Krasnoyarsk, Russia
2. Ice on Whyte Festival- Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
3. Sapporo Snow Festival- Hokkaido, Japan
4. Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival- Harbin, China
5. Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships- Breckenridge, Colorado
6. Concours International de Sculpture sur Glace et sur Neige- Valloire, France
7. International Ice Sculpture Festival- Jelgava, Latvia
8. BP World Ice Art Championships-Fairbank, Alaska
9. Snowking- Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
10. Ice Music Festival- Geilo, Norway
People around the world are getting creative and artistic with their winter wonderland- go out and enjoy the snow!
