An aerial drone photo shows tourists visiting the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

HARBIN, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- The landmark ice-and-snow theme park in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, will expand ahead of the ninth Asian Winter Games, said local authorities.

The Ice-Snow World, built on the northern bank of the Songhua River which flows through the city, will cover a million square meters in the coming snow season, up from 810,000 square meters in the last season. With its size equivalent to 140 football pitches, the extravaganza during the upcoming snow season will be of the largest scale.

A total of 300,000 cubic meters of ice and snow will be used for crafting sculptures such as castles and towers, up from 250,000 cubic meters. Design and construction of the park will feature elements of the ninth Asian Winter Games.

The theme park grew from the former Harbin Ice Lantern Festival, which started in 1963. In December 1999, the Ice-Snow World was built in Harbin to mark the millennium. This season will mark its 26th anniversary, with the park scheduled to open in mid-December.

The ninth Asian Winter Games in Harbin, scheduled for February 7-14, 2025, will see record participation. More than 1,500 athletes from 34 countries and regions have registered so far.