The Great Ice Show is starting to come together at The Forks, due to the arrival of the regular, extremely cold January Winnipeg weather.

Andy Zhao, the organizer for the event says they’ve had tremendous support from different organizations like Parks Canada, Tourism Winnipeg, Travel Manitoba and the city of Winnipeg.

He’s been working for years to bring something like this to Winnipeg.

“I’ve been working on this project since 2009 so it’s very exciting of course,” said Zhao. “We’ll try to make it beautiful and something proud for Winnipeggers.”

“We still have some challenges to get past but right now it’s very good.”

The ice show in Winnipeg is inspired by the winter festival in Harbin, China, which boasts massive ice castles illuminated by LED lights.

The Harbin Ice Festival - Winnipeg's won't be this elaborate, but it serves as the inspiration for The Great Ice Show (Associated Press)

Zhao says the one in Winnipeg may not be as big as that one, but he says all the sculptures and ice buildings will have lights as well. Many of the sculptures are animals, as small as penguins and as large as dinosaurs, which Zhao says will good for kids to play around and take pictures with. People can also take a load off in one of the three large igloos or at the ice bar and restaurant or they can even take a ride on the 60-foot ice slide.  

40 artists from China are currently in Winnipeg working on the sculptures. The ice show will open on Jan. 25, 2016 and has an entrance fee of $25 for adults and $15 for children ages one and up.

It’s taking place on The Forks grounds near the Red River and right next to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Here are some photos of how the ice festival is coming along so far: 

 

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