TAEBAEK, Feb. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — The 26th Mount Taebaek Snow Festival has been a surprising success despite a dry winter with little precipitation.
The festival’s organizing committee announced on Saturday that more than 600,000 people had visited the festival as of last Friday. The festival attracted 200,000 visitors by January 20, reaching as many as 400,000 by January 26.
The festival, which began on January 18, expects to reach its goal of gathering 700,000 visitors by February 3 when the festivities draw to a close.
“We have been particularly concerned this year due to the snowless weather,” said a source from the festival committee. “But we are grateful that many people came to the festival and helped us to be successful.”
Taebaek city in Gangwon Province, which usually sees an average of 23.5 snowy days and 78 centimeters of snowfall every year, hardly saw any snow this winter.
“Snow sculptures designed by leading artists in and around South Korea were more than enough to replace the lack of snow we’ve experienced this winter,” said a source from the festival committee.
“Next year, we will come up with more exciting events and festivities for everyone.”
A snow sculpture exhibition, one of the Taebaek Snow Festival’s most representative events, showcased massive artworks made in snow that were as large as 50 meters in length, 8 meters in height, and 5 meters in width.
Image Credit: Taebaek City Government / photonews@koreabizwire.com
