ice-carving

Souvenir Sunday: ice from Edmonton International Airport

It’s Souvenir Sunday, but this souvenirs would be difficult to put in your pocket.

On Friday, a mysterious 8 ft. by 4 ft. box filled with a 4,500 lb. block of snow was deposited outside Canada’s Edmonton International Airport.

Edmonton Airport ice carving

What's in that box?

Who sent it? What was it for? And who would come and claim it?

Saturday, the mystery was solved.

During a raging snowstorm, four Chinese sculptors armed only with hand tools ( no chain saws…) showed up and spent their day transforming the block of snow into a work of art featuring images from the Beijing Opera.

Edmonton Airport ice carving

Harbin ice carvers at Edmonton Airport

Turns out the sculptors are from Harbin, China, which is Edmonton’s sister city, and the snow sculpture was created to kick off Edmonton’s Ice on Whyte ice-carving festival, which runs through January 23rd.

Harbin, China ice carvers at Edmonton Airport

This year’s festival has a Chinese theme and nine ice and snow carvers from Harbin, China (famous for hosting the largest ice-carving festivals in the world) will work with Canadian artists to fill a local park with ice and snow creations that include a Giant Ice Dragon Slide, Ice Pagodas, a Great Wall, a Children’s Play area and more.

Bundle up and go!

(All photos courtesy of Edmonton International Airport)