When Spring Festival meets Asian Winter Games: Harbin celebrates both in festive spirit

As the 9th Asian Winter Games approaching, the streets of Harbin are alive with both the festive spirit of the Spring Festival and growing excitement for the upcoming sporting event.

During the Spring Festival, many streets in Harbin are adorned with blue snowflake-shaped lights featuring the Asian Winter Games emblem. The entrances of shops are decorated with red couplets, creating a striking contrast between red and blue that highlights the festive ambiance.

Picture taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows the entrance to the International Braodcast Center in the Main Media Center (MMC) of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.(Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

A customer shops at the official merchandise store in the Main Media Center (MMC) of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 31, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

This photo taken on Jan. 8, 2025 shows a sculpture of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

People visit the Yabuli Ski Resort along the Yaxue Road in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

Visitors walk past installations themed on the 2025 Asian Winter Games at China's "Snow Town" scenic spot in Mudanjiang, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 26, 2025 shows the night view of Harbin Songhua River Ice and Snow Carnival in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.(Xinhua/Wang Song)

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 26, 2025 shows the night view of Harbin Songhua River Ice and Snow Carnival in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

As the city's iconic landmark, the Harbin Ice-Snow World, with this year's edition, the largest in its history, boasts 1 million square meters. The park shares its theme this year with the upcoming 9th Asian Winter Games to be held in Harbin: Dream of Winter, Love Among Asia.

Tourists have fun at the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

Tourists take selfies at the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 26, 2025 shows the night view of the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 26, 2025 shows the night view of the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

This aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 23, 2025 shows visitors playing at the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

The 9th Asian Winter Games will take place in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province from Feb. 7 to 14, 2025.

The Games will feature six sports, 11 disciplines and 64 events. The ice events will be held in Harbin, using the existing venues from the 1996 Asian Winter Games, while the snow events will be in Yabuli, 193 km from Harbin.

The regional games will be staged in China for the third time, following Harbin in 1996 and Changchun, capital city of Jilin Province, in 2007.

A guard (C) displays the flame lantern during the flame lighting ceremony for the Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games at the Sun Island Scenic Area in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2025 shows the flame lighting ceremony for the 9th Asian Winter Games at the Sun Island Scenic Area in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2025 shows the flame lighting ceremony for the 9th Asian Winter Games at the Sun Island Scenic Area in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

This aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 23, 2025 shows visitors playing at the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

People jump for photos at the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)