Lantern Festival in Haerbin

July 20, 2009

Crowds gather to watch fireworks and lanterns lift into the sky above the frozen Songhua River during Lantern Festival celebrations in central Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.

People congregate around a bull-shaped ice sculpture in Stalin Park in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China. 2009 is the year of the ox according to the Chinese zodiac.

Fireworks bounce off highrise apartment buidings during Lantern Festival celebrations in central Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.

Crowds gather to watch fireworks and lanterns lift into the sky above the frozen Songhua River during Lantern Festival celebrations in central Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.

People light fireworks and sparklers on the ice on the Songhua River during the Lantern Festival celebration at night in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.

Crowds gather to watch fireworks and lanterns lift into the sky above the frozen Songhua River during Lantern Festival celebrations in central Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.

A family lights sparklers and other fireworks in the crowd gathered in Stalin Park on the banks of the Songhua River during Lantern Festival celebrations in central Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.

The Lunar New holiday period traditionally ends with the Lantern Festival, a boisterous celebration involving fireworks, bonfires, and paper lanterns going into the air. In Haerbin, the frozen Songhua River (Songhua Jiang) provides a stage for the activity, with fires directly on the ice and thousands of people celebrating.