Lark in the Park? N-ice!-Plow on down to Longtanhu for a snowfest this Christmas

Come on down to Longtanhu Park, where the guests are the best entertainment. Photo: CFP

Real snow may not yet be forthcoming - the government's predictions that it will fall 'before December 15,' according to a recent Global Times report, seem to have come to naught - but fans of the white stuff can still get themselves over to Longtanhu Park in Chongwen district, where organizers are doing the country's shanzhai heritage proud with an international Ice and Snow Festival featuring a ton of fake snow.

Launched by the Beijing Children & Youth Services Center (BCYSC), the administrative office of Longtanhu Park along with China National Radio (CNR), the festival debuts December 23 and lasts until February 23 and will include plenty of varied fun - last year saw rides, penguins and huskies (as well as one-eyed indie-girl singer Luo Qi).

Yet one big task that lies ahead of this event is to pump out the water from the 20,000 square-meter north lake of the park, where much of the action is due to take place. 'If we don't, the ice will be vulnerable when bearing the heavy snow,' explained BCYSC administration director Liu Jun. 'The drained water will then be used to produce the artificial snow.'

Ma Yuan, section director of BCYSC, revealed that the festivity enjoys international participants with representative groups from various icy countries such as Canada, Finland and - intriguingly - Norway invited to bring exhibitions of their own ice and snow cultures for display. Chinese ice sculptors will then be carving exhibits based on suggestions made by the countries' reps.

Under-10s can enjoy sledding, while those above are invited to take to the eight-meter tall slopes on tubes (80 yuan per hour for tube hire) with the hundred-meter plus snow rail. 'Little children are not recommended to play, because it could be dangerous for them,' warned Liu.

As mentioned, sledding with huskies is also available (10 yuan per circuit). There are around eight Siberian Huskies, worth tens of thousands of yuan each (so be nice). Two are capable of towing an adult, though the organizers are desperately hoping that no enormously overweight man turns up looking for a ride - sorry, Santa, you're barred. This one's ideally for the kids.

Children will particularly love all the snowball fights as well as the children's 'intimacy relay race,' so-called because parents are encouraged to participate with their children.