Keeping river ice through summer

On 15 January 2026, crews began harvesting ice for the 28th Harbin Ice and Snow World while the 27th edition was still open. The provincial report described river ice more than 60 centimetres thick and blocks cut to at least 1.6 by 0.8 by 0.5 metres for storage and later processing. At the storage ground, crews laid insulation to separate the ice from warmth rising from below, then built a nine-layer cover using insulating and shading materials. The purpose is to keep the pile cold, dark and sealed through spring, summer and autumn.

A report about the 24th edition described roughly 40,000 cubic metres of stored ice covered with eight layers of grass, plastic sheeting and tarpaulin, then protected with snow walls and soil. In January 2026, crews used a nine-layer cover for ice harvested for the 28th edition. The two accounts show different storage methods from different festival cycles. Storage crews insulate the pile from warmth and moisture and inspect its covering through the seasons; the 2026 report said more than 80 per cent remained usable after spring, summer and autumn.