Those who visit the park can also enjoy indoor ice shows that combine figure skating, acrobatics and live music. Ashley Martinez Aponte, a visitor from the Dominican Republic, lingered long after the performance had ended.

　　"It was such an unforgettable show. I think everyone should come and appreciate this piece of art on ice," she said.

　　The park"s operator said that the pavilion"s single-day visitor count exceeded 5,000 at its peak this summer. The park draws not only domestic tourists escaping the heat from southern China, but also travelers from Singapore, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea and other countries.

　　Beyond the ice sculptures, shows and rides, off-season winter sports are emerging as a new draw for Harbin"s summer tourism -- a fresh way of turning its winter chill into a hot-season attraction.

　　At a year-round indoor ski resort in Harbin"s Songbei District, beginners have been learning turns and braking with coaches this summer, while seasoned skiers race down the slopes, kicking up clouds of snow.

　　Lin Shuyue, a senior from Xiamen in east China"s Fujian Province, recently visited Harbin with her classmates on a graduation trip. Though they have access to indoor ski slopes back in the south, they made a point of adding this ski resort to their itinerary.

　　"You can ski indoors in the south too, but it just doesn"t feel the same as the "Ice City,"" Lin said, adding that with greater vertical drops, more advanced slopes and the city"s immersive ice-and-snow culture, skiing in the height of summer here is a truly unique experience.